William Trevor Dies Aged 88

Hello Gentle Reader

Few literary forms Gentle Reader claim to have a practitioner within it, who can be deemed a master; but with the short story, there are a few devoted practioners to the form who can be elevated to the esteem of: Master of the Short Story form.

History is riddled with such masters of the form; from Anton Chekhov, to Yasunari Kawabata, to the Nobel Laureate and ‘contemporary master of the short story,’ herself: Alice Munro. In large part though, Anton Chekhov reshaped the short story genre, and would begin paving the way for the literary format to receive greater respect, and would establish the forma as a unique literary form of expression. Others had followed suit, and would find continual success in the short story genre such as: Ryūnosuke Akutagawa (considered the grandfather of the Japanese short story); Antonio Tabucchi, and many others. This being stated, many writers who thrived in the short story format, would later go on and publish novels; and yet many (such as Yasunari Kawabata) feel that in order to truly understand their literary expression, one need only look at their more shorter works to truly understand their craft of brevity and literary dexterity. William Trevor was an accomplished Irish novelist, and more importantly master of the short story in his own right. In his long career Trevor had published fifteen novels, and numerous short stories, which resulted in thirteen collections, along with two volumes of collected short stories; and three collections of selected stories. William Trevor was nominated for the Booker Prize four times, for his novels: “Mrs. Eckdorf in O'Neill's Hotel,” (1970),  “The Children of Dynmouth,” (1976), “Reading Turgenev,” (1991), and “The Story of Lucy Gault,” (2002).” William Trevor’s work is noted for being set in Irish and/or English villages, in which he depicts the individuals who are holding onto the lower middle class standing, as they battle against a capricious fate and the daily battles of life. Trevor’s short stories and novels are noted for the stark and dour atmosphere, complete with an overcast day and a high chance of rain. His characters were noted for their struggles, but also for the varied cast and colour. Ted Solotaroff reviewed “Beyond the Pale and Other Stories,” in the New York Times and mentioned the spectrum of Trevor’s figures:

“His farmers and priests and men of the turf are as convincing and suggestive as his Hempstead aesthetes, his suburban swingers, his old-boy homosexuals, his mod clerks and shopgirls. Nothing seems alien to him; he captures the moral atmosphere of a sleek advertising agency, of a shabby West End dance hall, of a minor public school, of a shotgun wedding in an Irish pub.”

Despite writing numerous novels, William Trevor had always expressed greater enjoyment with the short story format; and claimed his novels only came into being when he could not fit them into short stories; and further elucidated that his novels are simply interconnected short stories. Personally, I always held the view that William Trevor was Alice Munor’s rival when it came to the short story, and recognition, and especially the Nobel; always thinking to myself one or the other will have to take it for the short story to gain its recognition; though ideally hoping it could have been a joint award between the two writers. Despite Trevor not receiving the Nobel alongside Alice Munro; he is best now more than ever not seen as a rival, but rather an equal in his mastery of the short story form, in how he offers glimpses into the lives of his varied cast of characters, and their unfortunate struggles.

Writing and the short story, were not William Trevor’s first calling or jab at the artistic world. William Trevor first was a sculptor, working under the name: Trevor Cox. During this time he supplemented his income by teaching on the side. It wasn’t until he began working in London for an advertising agency as a copywriter, that Trevor began to write, and would soon fall in love with the literary art form of the short story. Trevor disowned his first published novel “A Standard of Behaviour,” and has refused to see it re-released; and considers “The Old Boys,” to be his first novel. With “The Old Boys,” published and wining the Hawthornden Prize William Trevor at the age of thirty-six would go on to write full time, and become one of Ireland’s most prestigious and well known writers.

William Trevor however died on November 21^st, peacefully in his sleep at the age of eighty-eight. With the passing of William Trevor the short story format has lost one of its greatest advocates and practitioners. William Trevor truly was a master of the short story.

Rest in Peace William Trevor.

Thank-you For Reading Gentle Reader

Take Care

And As Always

Stay Well Read

M. Mary