Short Fiction

[wendybeth]

I love short stories. Shirley Jackson, Flannery O'Connor, Fitzgerald ( 'Babylon Revisited' is one of my all-time favorites), Poe, London, Twain, Dickens....the list goes on and on. Nearly every great writer has written short fiction- magazines and anthologies were a way into the public eye and paid the bills while they worked on their longer masterpieces. I think the Norton Anthologies have done a great job compiling these works and they usually have top-notch translations for the foreign language stories.

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

Originally Posted by wendybeth

I love short stories. Shirley Jackson, Flannery O'Connor, Fitzgerald ( 'Babylon Revisited' is one of my all-time favorites), Poe, London, Twain, Dickens....the list goes on and on. Nearly every great writer has written short fiction- magazines and anthologies were a way into the public eye and paid the bills while they worked on their longer masterpieces. I think the Norton Anthologies have done a great job compiling these works and they usually have top-notch translations for the foreign language stories.

Shirley Jackson is also a favorite. I LOVE her novels, as well.

I didn't know about Dickens short fiction. I have a feeling I'd much prefer that to his "chock full" novels. Very cool.

[wendybeth]

Originally Posted by Eliza Hodgkins 1812

Shirley Jackson is also a favorite. I LOVE her novels, as well.

I didn't know about Dickens short fiction. I have a feeling I'd much prefer that to his "chock full" novels. Very cool.

'A Christmas Carol' is really more of a short story, and a good example of how shorter works can be better. I love Dickens, but he does run on in some of his stories...... Many of his longer works were actually serializations- published in penny papers and magazines and then compiled into novel form later.

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

Originally Posted by wendybeth

'A Christmas Carol' is really more of a short story, and a good example of how shorter works can be better. I love Dickens, but he does run on in some of his stories...... Many of his longer works were actually serializations- published in penny papers and magazines and then compiled into novel form later.

Yes, I had to drag myself through Great Expectations, and didn't give him another try. Perhaps I should. I found the filler chapters (where I assume he simply ran out of something to say at the moment but had to deliver a chapter for that week's publication) really, really grating.

[Morrigoon]

Originally Posted by Eliza Hodgkins 1812

Yes, I had to drag myself through Great Expectations, and didn't give him another try. Perhaps I should. I found the filler chapters (where I assume he simply ran out of something to say at the moment but had to deliver a chapter for that week's publication) really, really grating.

Then never EVER try reading any unabridged versions of Victor Hugo's works.

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

Originally Posted by Morrigoon

Then never EVER try reading any unabridged versions of Victor Hugo's works.

I've only read Hunchback, which is one of my favorite books. I love Hugo's writing style. Dickens far less.