In the essay below, Jones discusses the defining characteristics of Lish's fiction.

In the following interview, Lish discusses aspects of his career as an editor, teacher, and writer.

Birkerts is an American critic. In the following excerpt, he traces Lish's influence as an editor and fiction writer.

In the following excerpt, Seabrook examines Lish's work in the context of minimalist fiction and discusses the unconventional narrative techniques utilized in What I Know So Far.

Johnson is an American novelist, short story writer, poet and critic. Below, he provides a stylistic analysis of Mourner at the Door.

Below, McGraw provides an unfavorable review of the stories in Mourner at the Door.

In the following negative review of Mourner at the Door, Rubins maintains that Lish's short fiction is "so mannered, so derivatively styled, as to cancel out all intimacy and empathy. "

Harris, pseudonym of Donald Heiney, is an American novelist and critic. In the following essay, he offers a favorable review of the stories in Mourner at the Door.

In the following positive review of What I Know So Far, Friedman focuses on the plot and style of "For Jeromé—with Love and Kisses. "

In the following mixed review of Zimzum, Harris describes Lish's writing as solipsistic and lacking substance.

Tyler is an American novelist and short story writer who is known for her fictional portraits of family life in works such as Searching for Caleb (1976) and Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant (1982). Often considered a Southern regionalist, Tyler has been most influenced by Eudora Welty, an author to whom she is frequently compared. In the following review, she provides a negative assessment of the short fiction in What I Know So Far.

Below, Evenson offers a stylistic analysis of Zimzum.

Malin is an American critic. In the following laudatory review, he praises Lish 's use of language in his short fiction.

Below, Drabelle provides a mixed assessment of the short stories in What I Know So Far.