Hello Gentle Readers
Well it’s happening as promised. It is the first short story review. Now some of you may remember that on August 25 2010 I had reviewed the short story collection by the literary recluse and cult figure Thomas Ligotti’s short story collection, “Teatro Grottesco.” But that was reviewing the entire collection, not the stories necessarily individually. Also we may not have seen the last of Thomas Ligotti’s “Teatro Grottesco,” seeing as it is also a short story collection it may also participate on each stories individual level. That way each story can be examined individually. This is what “The Short Story Review,” is to do. It is to review, a collection of short stories by some authors. One from each of their collections. Lets introduce shall we the players in this experimentation of mine.
There is the Edwardian Era Oscar Wilde author who satirised the “Golden Afternoon,” (the slow and peaceful years in England’s history before the break out of World War I) H.H. Munro or also known as: Saki. His comical are reminiscent of the early Russian master of the short story Anton Chekhov. I look forward to reading these stories.
The next author is a writer who in my limited knowledge picks up the mantle of the realism short stories of the 1980’s short story renaissance in America. This minimalist short story writer or as she prefers to be called miniaturist short story writer constructs very precise and detailed sentences in order to create a touching and moving story. Perhaps one of the most famous short story writers in America of the last three decades is Amy Hempel.
The next author is back in the twentieth century. But not as far back as Saki. The first Japanese author to win the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1968 is Yasunari Kawabata, whose subtle prose delicate descriptions, ethereal comparisons with beautiful similes and metaphors; and his mastery of the psychological novel and art form, and also a practitioner of the modernist style of the early twentieth century, in a Japanese setting has earned him the Nobel Prize as well as my readership and from the stories that I have read so far, my admiration.
Where is Canada’s literary scene today without this hushed quiet whispered name of this author? The grandmother of Canadian short fiction, with her warm and heart, gentle laugh, and sweet honesty and always compassionate wisdom. Cynthia Ozick has called her “our Chekhov.” Yes dear gentle reader it is Alice Munro.
Will Self, the satirical humorous and absurd bad boy author of English Literature, is also a formidable author, of short stories. Known for taking an ordinary aspect of the modern world, and then pushing it to its extreme, of absurdity and insanity. Will Self is known for his comical voice, and but I am interested to see his work, and their “bizarre,” style and also to see his comic style and voice.
The last author of short stories is the granddame of psychological thriller, and known as a dark psychological novelist, who is seen in the tradition of authors like Albert Camus, Joseph Conard, Franz Kafka, Andre Gide, and I think probably the most influential author on this authors career Fyodor Dostoyevsky. Yes it is the one and only author Patricia Highsmith.
Here is hoping that the short story collections that have been picked are good. Already I can’t help but think who else would be really good to read. Part of me screams that “The Collected Stories,” of Ivan Bunin would have been lovely to read – and part of me agrees. Ivan Bunin was the first Russian author to win the Nobel Prize in Literature way back in the year of 1933. Then there was the late discovery of the contemporary Russian novelist and short story writer Victor Pelevin who is more of an enigma and abstract now then he was when I had first discovered him. Then there were other authors we are well known for their short stories. Authors like Franz Kafka’s absurd and darkly comic bleak stories of the human struggle. Anton Chekhov probably one of the most renowned short story authors. I considered the practitioner of American “Dirty Realism,” and the head of the American 1980’s short story renaissance Raymond Carver. The cantankerous Charles Bukowski was also a person considered. The Irish man by the name of William Trevor, short stories were also considered. The stories of the mentally ill the madness, and its warped reality in “You Are Not a Stranger Here,” by Adam Haslett. I also considered “Cold Snap,” by Thom Jones – but it was sold out.
One can see there were not a lot of woman writers coming to the top of my mind, and many feminists or woman or anyone really would say that in this particular list the penis is certainly being favoured. However, the entirely ignorant notion that as a reader of fiction (and now in a few cases non-fiction) and also being a man, I do prefer the work of men. The reason why? A lot of woman writers, are sexist and make the divide between their male and female characters quite clear. The gender divide is clearly shown. That the male characters are usually underdeveloped, and that the female characters and their experience are more developed and are given much more attention than that of the men. Now as a male reader, that can become quite a bore after a while, and be seen as rather sexist. But heaven forbid that a man, use the word sexist in any case. However the discovery of the three above authors – Alice Munro, Amy Hempel, and Patricia Highsmith; will be of course great authors of the short story fiction.
Well Gentle Reader here is hoping that this blog experiment goes well. Here is hoping that all the stories are enjoyable. That the success of it, brings in more short story collections from authors from different time periods, different spectrums, different viewpoints, different status as authors, and brings them all together in their love for literature, and hopefully the mastery of the short form. But most importantly, the experience is most important for you Dear Gentle Reader. Hopefully you enjoy reading these reviews of the short stories that are reviewed. Maybe they will prompt you to buy them from your local book store, or down load them on to your kindle or e-reader or electronic book (thing). I personally am excited to see how this turns out. For tomorrow the first of the reviews begin!
Thank-you For Reading Gentle Reader
Take Care
And As Always
Stay Well Read
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