I knew, when Kim (Reading Matters) and Cathy (746 Books) announced their "A year with William Trevor" project, that I had a little book containing some William Trevor short stories but, could I find it? Nope. It was a little book after all. And then, voilà, just the other day while I was doing my … Continue reading William Trevor, The dressmaker’s child (#Review)
Review – Short stories
D’Arcy McNickle, Train time (#Review)
Continuing my reading from Great short stories by contemporary Native American writers, we now jump a decade from John M. Oskison's 1925-published "The singing bird" to D'Arcy McNickle's "Train time" which was published in 1936 . D'Arcy McNickle As before, I'm using both anthology editor Bob Blaisdell's brief intro and Wikipedia's article to introduce this … Continue reading D’Arcy McNickle, Train time (#Review)
Myra Morris, The inspiration (#Review, #1940 Club)
As I have done for some previous "year" reading weeks*, I decided for 1940 to read a short story by an Australian author. After a bit of searching I settled on Myra Morris, and her story "Inspiration", because ... let me explain. My last two Australian contributions for these reading weeks were works by men … Continue reading Myra Morris, The inspiration (#Review, #1940 Club)
John M. Oskison, The singing bird (#Review)
From Zitkala-Ša's 1901-published "The soft-hearted Sioux", Great short stories by contemporary Native American writers jumps a quarter of a century to 1925, and John M. Oskison's "The singing bird". John M. Oskison Again, anthology editor Bob Blaisdell provides a brief intro to the author, but it's Wikipedia that is able to provide more detail. John … Continue reading John M. Oskison, The singing bird (#Review)
Zitkala-Sa, The soft-hearted Sioux (#Review)
Zitkala-Ša's "The soft-hearted Sioux" is the second story in the anthology, Great short stories by contemporary Native American writers, sent to me by my American friend. I posted on the first one, Pauline Johnson's "A red girl's reasoning", a couple of weeks ago. Zitkala-Ša As he does for all the stories, anthology editor Bob Blaisdell … Continue reading Zitkala-Sa, The soft-hearted Sioux (#Review)
Pauline Johnson, A red girl’s reasoning (#Review)
As some of you know, I have a close American friend, Carolyn, with whom I correspond weekly. We met in the early 1990s when I was living in California. During that time we started a reading group, so you won't be surprised that our correspondence always includes reference to what we are - or are … Continue reading Pauline Johnson, A red girl’s reasoning (#Review)
Claire G. Coleman, Night bird (#Review)
Wirlomin-Noongar woman Claire G. Coleman's short story "Night bird" is the second First Nations Australia story in Ellen van Neerven and Rafeif Ismail's anthology Unlimited futures: Speculative, visionary Blak+Black fiction, the book I chose for Bill's (The Australian Legend) Australian Women Writers Gen 5 Week. The week finished officially a week ago, but I'm hoping … Continue reading Claire G. Coleman, Night bird (#Review)
D’Arcy Niland, The parachutist (#Review)
D'Arcy Niland has appeared in my blog before but not in his own right. He was the Australian-born husband of the New Zealand-born Australian writer Ruth Park. I have posted on their collaborative memoir, The drums go bang, and have written specifically about Ruth Park, but have never written specifically on Niland before. Niland is … Continue reading D’Arcy Niland, The parachutist (#Review)
Ambelin Kwaymullina, Fifteen days on Mars (#Review)
In 2014, Ambelin Kwaymullina, whose people are the Palyku of the Pilbara region of Western Australia, described herself in a Kill Your Darlings essay as writing "speculative fiction for young adults". Three years later, in the 2017 Twelfth Planet Press anthology, Mother of invention, she said that she was "a Palyku author of Indigenous Futurisms", … Continue reading Ambelin Kwaymullina, Fifteen days on Mars (#Review)
O. Henry, Conscience in art (#Review)
Followers of the short story form will probably know of O. Henry, the pen-name of American author William Sydney Porter (1862-1910). Although he also wrote poetry and non-fiction, Henry was best known for his prodigious short story writing. His legacy, as Wikipedia says, includes the O. Henry Award, which is an annual prize awarded to outstanding … Continue reading O. Henry, Conscience in art (#Review)
