The Storied Life Of Aj Fikry

A.J. reviews Richard Bausch’s short story “What Feels Like the World.” He compares Maya to the protagonist, a young “chubby” gymnast who is determined to make her dreams come true (93). He also notes that during Maya’s toddlerhood he is too busy to read anything longer than a short story, which makes the short story the most important genre to him.

The bookstore becomes Maya’s favorite place. Each morning, she enthusiastically greets the store and all the items in it. She loves to smell and read the children’s books, and to help other little kids find books. She thinks a little bit about her mom but only to “feel very sorry for her” since she can’t go to the bookshop (99). Maya learns that her middle name is Tamerlane—and why A.J. gave her such a name. She also begins to learn to read.

A.J. reviews Flannery O’Connor’s “A Good Man is Hard to Find.” He sums up the whole story in four words: “Family trip goes awry” (103). He focuses on how the story is Amelia Loman’s favorite and how this choice makes Amelia “wonderful” (103).

Right before Maya starts kindergarten, she gets chicken pox.