So as Not to Die Alone - by Lisa Johnson Mitchell (Paperback)

About the Book

So as Not to Die Alone is a song about the ache of living-a snapshot of the anxieties and optimism of modern American life. Narratives include a Finalist in the 2022 London Independent Story Prize Competition.

Book Synopsis

So as Not to Die Alone is a song about the ache of living. A brutally honest snapshot of both the anxieties and optimism of modern American life, this collection includes narratives about sexual fluidity, loss of a parent, shattered dreams, addiction, and teen pregnancy, among others. One story was a Finalist in the 2022 London Independent Story Prize Competition and is included in the 2023 London Independent Story Prize Competition Anthology.

Review Quotes

"Lisa Johnson Mitchell has the remarkable ability to craft entire characters-all their beauty and all their flaws-in a single, perfect sentence. These sentences then come together to make stories that are heartbreaking, tragic, sometimes absurd, and often hopeful. In the end, this sharp collection presents a brutally honest snapshot of both the anxieties and optimism of modern American life."

-Samantha Mabry, National Book Award-nominated author of All the Wind in the World and

Tigers, Not Daughters

"The heroes and heroines in Lisa Johnson Mitchell's debut story collection, So as Not to Die Alone, reach for connection even through their own jadedness and the static around them. Mitchell is a comic acrobat, her details startling yet perfect, her language playful and inventive, whether ships are sinking or somehow making their way back to the surface. A thoroughly rewarding debut."

-Steve Adams, Pushcart Award-winning author of Remember This

"Lisa Johnson Mitchell's collection is a thought-provoking and emotionally charged journey that delves deep into the complexities of human experience. Through a diverse cast of characters, Mitchell expertly explores themes of sexual fluidity, loss, shattered dreams, addiction, and teen pregnancy with raw honesty and vulnerability. Each story is a masterful blend of pain and hope, leaving a lasting impact on the reader-a must-read for anyone looking for a powerful and moving literary experience. Lucia Berlin and Flannery O'Connor fans will relish this collection, stamped with a profound understanding of human nature. Mitchell's writing is reminiscent of these literary greats and is sure to leave readers feeling deeply moved."

-Blake Kimzey, author of Families Among Us

"The 10 stories in So As Not to Die Alone, Lisa Johnson Mitchell's debut collection, introduce us to intricately chiseled worlds where women feel unseen, children are tasked with caring for ailing and aged parents, and romances bud and take center stage. But in Mitchell's inventive hands, these stories go places you'd never expect, pivoting into a territory of the heart on whose emotional bedrock we can all find sure footing. Often humorous, always heart-wrenching, these flash and short stories introduce a singular, bold voice that will have you laughing out loud even as you wipe away tears. Mitchell knows how to write sizzlingly hot dialogue and exquisite sentences (consider this one-two punch: "After therapy, he claimed to forgive Sheila, but she could see his lingering resentment like an aura."). And while her characters aren't afraid to wear their hearts on their sleeves, let it be known they suffer no fools. You'll admire them, just as you'll admire this new, gorgeous collection."

-DS Levy, Award-winning author of A Binary Heart