Don’t Be a Stranger

Minot (Why I Don’t Write and Other Stories) offers a haunting exploration of love, desire, and human connection. Ivy Cooper, a 52-year-old mother, becomes entangled in a torrid affair with Ansel Fleming, a brooding musician 20 years her junior who was recently released from prison. Minot captures the duality of Ivy’s life: on one side, the structured world of responsibility and motherhood, and on the other, the raw, sexual passion she shares with Ansel. As Ivy’s desire threatens to consume her, the narrative dives deep into themes of intimacy, self-awareness, and the emotional cost of desire. Minot narrates her own work, offering a solid, if somewhat ponderously paced performance. Her presentation of Ivy’s shifting inner thoughts and emotions is subtle, but patient listeners will appreciate her steady voicing of Ivy’s insecurity and helpless longing.