Fifty Five Short Stories by Gary Alexander Azerier (Author)  Format: Paperback

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Cyberwit.Net
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ 2 June 2026
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 266 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9363549674
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-9363549678
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 313 g
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 13.97 x 1.7 x 21.59 cm
• UNSPSC-Code : 55101500 (Printed publications)

Review by LB Sedlacek

“Fifty Five” is the type of book you can pick up to read for just a few minutes or to spend a few hours with. Exactly as the title says, the author offers up 55 different tales that cover a wide range of storytelling.

The author states in his introduction his noticing of “the strange (to me) nearly overnight

disappearance on subways and buses, waiting rooms and in Doctor’s offices, of newspapers, books and magazines. But allow me to point out book stores have vanished as well.” He goes on to say “Instead, people are ensconced on their I-Phones, either texting, gaming, e-mailing, shopping, or, even phoning, but rarely might one espy a novel or collection of Short Stories open on an I-Phone. And, certainly, gone are the smells of fresh newsprint, or the newspapers folded to the day’s crossword, above the fold headline, or to the back sport’s page.” He goes on to mention the disappearance of newsstands, too.

Gary’s new book is a remedy to the unwelcome fading of all those offerings to be found in a newspaper box, or at a newsstand or even at local bookstore. There’s a wonderful variety of stories so there’s always something new waiting on the next page.

His stories will make you smile or leave you thinking. He writes in a straightforward and conversational tone that makes his stories easy to follow and digest. His stories seem to focus on memorable situations and his character development is superb.

From the story “MILES”

“They thought they knew all there was to know. They thought they

knew almost everyone worth knowing. They couldn’t yet be fully aware

of it, but to a large extent the perfection of their youth was beginning to

flower: the vigor, the good health, the vital confidence as yet unjustifiable,

the arrogance unfounded. But to paraphrase Thomas Wolfe, with whose

Web and the Rock many of our classmates walked about for the months

it took them to read the tome, they were the lords of life. They were

plunging into their twenties, the threshold of adulthood, and they were

the lords of life.”

Azerier’s collection has the feel of classic storytelling. Many of the stories are reminiscent of yesteryear. His stories, though, are built on imagination or perhaps real-life memories to offer strong and compelling prose.

The stories will feel familiar. But, they also have a fresh new feel to them.

“Fifty Five” is indeed an enjoyable collection to be savored. It definitely celebrates what is the art of the short story or short fiction.

If you’re a reader who enjoys quick reads or a book you can finish in a couple of hours, then this new short stories collection is perfect for you! It offers plenty of thoughtful moments but is also entertaining. Enjoy!

~LB Sedlacek is author of the poetry books “Words and Bones,” “Unresponsive Sky,” “The Poet Next Door,” “Simultaneous Submissions,” and “Ghost Policy.”  Her poem novel is “The Blue Eyed Side.” Her short stories books include “Four Thieves of Vinegar and Other Short Stories” and “The Jackalope Committee & Other Tales.”