We Are Still Married: Stories & Letters

We Are Still Married is a collection of short stories, letters, and poems by Garrison Keillor published in 1989. The collection features five distinct sections: Pieces, The Lake, Letters, House Poems, and Stories, with many entries centered around the fictional town of Lake Wobegon, Minnesota. The stories range from small-town narratives and personal correspondence to observational pieces about American life and culture. Letters form a significant portion of the collection, covering topics from family matters to travel experiences, while the poems focus on domestic life and everyday observations. The Lake section showcases Keillor's signature Lake Wobegon tales, presenting the fictional Minnesota town and its residents through various narrative forms, including epistolary pieces and traditional stories. The Stories section rounds out the collection with longer narrative works. The collection explores themes of community, Midwestern values, and the complexities of ordinary life. Through his mix of formats and subjects, Keillor captures the intersection of personal experience with broader American cultural moments.

Readers highlight Keillor's observant, nostalgic writing style and ability to capture small-town Midwestern life through both humor and poignancy. Many note that the book works best when read in small doses rather than straight through. Readers appreciated: - Letters between characters that feel authentic and relatable - Mix of humor and serious reflection - Stories about Lake Wobegon and its residents - Commentary on American culture and politics Common criticisms: - Some essays feel dated or too tied to 1980s events - Uneven quality across the collection - Political pieces don't age as well as personal stories - Can become repetitive if read consecutively Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (1,200+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (50+ reviews) One reader noted: "Like having coffee with a clever friend who notices everything." Another wrote: "The Lake Wobegon pieces shine, but the political satire feels stale now."

Lake Wobegon Days by Garrison Keillor The novel expands the fictional Lake Wobegon universe through interconnected stories of small-town Minnesota life, featuring the same blend of community tales and cultural observations.

Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson This collection of interconnected stories about small-town American life presents character studies and community portraits through multiple narrative formats.

Empire Falls by Richard Russo The story follows the lives of residents in a declining New England mill town, capturing the essence of community relationships and local dynamics in American small towns.

Letters of E.B. White edited by Dorothy Lobrano Guthrie These collected letters showcase White's observations on daily life, nature, and American culture through personal correspondence.

Main Street by Sinclair Lewis Set in Minnesota, this novel examines small-town Midwestern life through the story of Carol Kennicott, depicting the customs and social dynamics of a rural community.

★ Lake Wobegon, the setting for many stories in the book, was inspired by Keillor's hometown of Anoka, Minnesota, though he intentionally made it fictional to allow more creative freedom in storytelling. ★ The book was published in 1989 during the height of Keillor's popularity as host of "A Prairie Home Companion," a radio show that ran for over 40 years and reached more than 4 million listeners weekly. ★ Keillor wrote many of these pieces while living in Copenhagen, Denmark, providing him a unique outsider's perspective on American culture that influenced his observations throughout the book. ★ The title "We Are Still Married" comes from one of the collection's most poignant stories, which explores the complexity of long-term relationships and was partly inspired by Keillor's own marriage experiences. ★ The book's format, mixing letters and poems with traditional narratives, was revolutionary for its time and influenced many contemporary writers in their approach to storytelling through multiple formats.