What do I know about Jack London? Not much really, except that he wrote adventure stories like Call of the wild and White fang, and, intriguingly, a study of London slums, People of the abyss. So, when this week's Library of America story was "War" (1911) by Jack London, I decided to read it. You can read it … Continue reading Jack London, War
Review – Short stories
Kevin Barry, Fjord of Killary
I hadn't heard of Kevin Barry when his short story published in The New Yorker this month, "Fjord of Killary", was brought to my attention. Kevin Barry is an Irish writer, born in Limerick in 1969, and this makes him 40 (or 41 this year). The first person narrator of the story is the same … Continue reading Kevin Barry, Fjord of Killary
Willa Cather, The sentimentality of William Tavener
Last week's Library of America story was Willa Cather's "The sentimentality of William Tavener" (1900). I can't resist blogging about this one because it's by the wonderful Willa, to whom I was introduced when I first lived in the US in the early 1980s. I have read only three of her novels (My Antonia, The … Continue reading Willa Cather, The sentimentality of William Tavener
Edith Maude Eaton, Mrs Spring Fragrance
This week's Library of America short story offering is "Mrs Spring Fragrance" by Chinese American author Edith Maude Eaton (1865-1914) who wrote under the pen name of Sui Sin Far. She had an American father and a Chinese mother and, according to the notes which accompany the story, was apparently the first person of Chinese … Continue reading Edith Maude Eaton, Mrs Spring Fragrance
Don DeLillo, Midnight in Dostoevsky
Do reading synchronicities affect our comprehension? Well of course they do, since everything we do affects our comprehension to some degree doesn't it? Anyhow, I have just read Don DeLillo's short story, "Midnight in Dostoevsky" (you can read it here), and, as I read it, I couldn't help bringing to mind Salman Rushdie's The enchantress … Continue reading Don DeLillo, Midnight in Dostoevsky
Kazuo Ishiguro, Nocturnes: Five stories of music and nightfall
I like Kazuo Ishiguro - and have read 5 of his 6 novels - so I was looking forward to reading Nocturnes, his first published collection of short stories. Nocturnes, as the subtitle describes, comprises five short stories, each focussing in some way on music, and on a day's end. The five stories - a … Continue reading Kazuo Ishiguro, Nocturnes: Five stories of music and nightfall
William Trevor, The woman of the house
[WARNING: SPOILERS, if you think it matters] According to Wikipedia,William Trevor's characters "are usually marginalised members of society: children, old people, single middle-aged men and women, or the unhappily married." This is certainly the case with Trevor's short story, The woman of the house, which was published last year in The New Yorker. All four … Continue reading William Trevor, The woman of the house
Tessa Hadley, Friendly fire
"Friendly fire", a short story by the English writer Tessa Hadley, is a simple story of two middle-aged women cleaners in an industrial warehouse, Pam who owns the cleaning business and her friend Shelley who is helping her out for the day. The story focuses on Shelley and nothing much really happens - it's more … Continue reading Tessa Hadley, Friendly fire
Price Warung, Tales of the early days
Okay, I admit it, I have convict ancestors (plural even!). Consequently, I was particularly interested to read Price Warung's 1894 collection of short stories, Tales of the early days, when I discovered it was part of the Australian Classics Library recently published by the Sydney University Press. My convicts include John Warby who, with another labourer, … Continue reading Price Warung, Tales of the early days
William Styron, Rat beach
I haven't read any William Styron, though I have seen the movie of Sophie's Choice, and so was pleased to have the opportunity to read his "Rat beach" for one of my many bookgroups this month. This short story was published in The New Yorker three years after Styron's death and is about a young … Continue reading William Styron, Rat beach
