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Strange Wine: Fifteen New Stories From The Nightside Of The World
A remarkable compendium of diverse short fiction by the acclaimed author ranges from satire to horror in such tales as "Croatoan," "The New York Review of Birds," and "Working with the Little People," and features such unusual characters as Dr. D'arque Angel who brings death to her patients. Each story is prefaced with a personal essay by Mr. Ellison.
Hardcover, 262 pages
Published
June 1st 1978
by Harper & Row
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There's a lot you can tell about an author by looking at the shape of his or her words. Ellison's writing is a mad collage of words, symbols, numbers, names and titles - not to mention little quotes, subheadings, stage directions, bullet points, and every other form of literary embellishment the mind has yet drilled.
Ellison's writing style is as patchwork as it appears: he grabs every writing technique he thinks he can use to get the story from his head to the readers'. Which is just how I like...more
Ellison's writing style is as patchwork as it appears: he grabs every writing technique he thinks he can use to get the story from his head to the readers'. Which is just how I like...more
I've been a fan of Ellison for a quarter of a century and this, by far, is my favourite book of his. If you have never come across Ellison before, you're in for a treat. A master story-teller, he breaks new ground with practically every story, whether it is in the style of the telling - such as "From A to Z, The Chocolate Alphabet"-, or in the subject matter - "Croatoan." Whatever the style or the subject matter, the voice of Ellison is unmistakable, -uncompromising, vivid, funny, and perceptive...more
When someone says the name “Harlan,” I usually think Harlan Coben. I am afraid to say I have never heard of Harlan Ellison for fear it might send this caustic, “speak your mind” author into apoplexy. Ellison is more known for short stories than full length novels. STRANGE WINE is a collection of fifteen short stories “from the nightside of the world” published in 1978. I had heard his name tossed around on a few chat lists, even saw a video of a rant against studios that expected him to donate a...more
This is my first encounter with Harlan Ellison, my interest being piqued by his mention in Stephen King's Danse Macabre. I'm a fan of short form in general and especially the type of stories published during what I consider the golden period of the 50s through the 70s.
Strange Wine is a little darker than works by Philip K. Dick, doesn't have the moralistic twist ending favored by Ray Bradbury, and isn't as darkly terrifying as Charles Beaumont. What it does have is an energy, a clarity of purpo...more
Strange Wine is a little darker than works by Philip K. Dick, doesn't have the moralistic twist ending favored by Ray Bradbury, and isn't as darkly terrifying as Charles Beaumont. What it does have is an energy, a clarity of purpo...more
This is a bit of a strange book. It is a collection of short horror/sci-fi stories, each one being introduce by the author how he came about to write them, which strangely adds enjoyment to the book. He can sometimes be a bit ranty, but you have got to hand it to the guy, he is/was a prolific writer and could churn out a story at the drop of a hat. Or seems to at any rate. Some of them sound a bit dated (it was published in 1978) especially 'Mom' which was a humorous story about the ghost of a j...more
Harlan Ellison had (and still has) a wild imagination. Published over thirty years ago, this short story collection showcases how easily he brewed ideas. “Mom” is about the ghost of a Jewish mother nagging after her surviving son. “Croatoan” is about aborted babies and abandoned crocodiles residing in the sewers. “The New York Review of Bird” is about Ellison’s own invented pseudonym coming to life and harassing a bookstore clerk.
The collection left me grateful that we have the umbrella of Specu...more
The collection left me grateful that we have the umbrella of Specu...more
Sep 03, 2008
Valerie
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Lura
Recommended to Valerie by:
Jeff
Shelves:
short-stories
I don't read short stories very often, but I have read these multiple times.
This was my first encounter with Harlan Ellison. Well, almost. I had read his introduction to the fourth Sandman volume The Season of Mists, which I'd always enjoyed, but nothing beyond that.
And now Strange Wine... A collection of short fiction that reveals a very fertile imagination and a sense of language that ranks among the best short fiction writers of the 20th century (at the very least). The collection, first published in 1978, includes an introduction railing against the evils of televis...more
And now Strange Wine... A collection of short fiction that reveals a very fertile imagination and a sense of language that ranks among the best short fiction writers of the 20th century (at the very least). The collection, first published in 1978, includes an introduction railing against the evils of televis...more
Harlan Ellison is one of those writers who I don't like as a person, but I do like his work. Strange Wine is a short story anthology and it's good. Very good. Normally I write more in-depth reviews, but short of reviewing each story in this anthology (which I am not going to do) just trust me when I say that the stories are all consistently well written. They cover the gamut from humorous to horrifying and all points in-between. I have no trouble giving it four stars.
view all 5 comments
Crusty old bastard (and still longtime favorite) Harlan Ellison takes some pretty cruel potshots at copy editors ("literary vampires") no fewer than five times in his introductions to the fifteen stories in Strange Wine. I caught several errors in his writing that any copy editor worth her Chicago Manual would have immediately stricken, including my personal pet hatred, "It didn't phase me." It's FAZE, dammit! Take that, Harlan!
Another superb collection of Harlan Ellison's unique fiction. This is my second favorite Ellison short fiction collection right behind Deathbird Stories. Highlights: The stunning "Hitler Painted Roses" and the equally impressive "Boulevard of Broken Dreams". Also, The introductory essay "What Killed the Dinosaurs! And You Don’t Look So Terrific Yourself" is not to be missed.
After a remarkable output from '65-'75, Ellison is moving toward a more mature style in this 1978 collection, but to my mind this is mid-transition and hit-or-miss. The title story and "Mom," for example, are excellent. "Croatoan" (about the fate of aborted babies flushed into the sewers) is vivid but dreadful. A mixed bag.
Oct 10, 2012
Gerald
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
science-fiction,
essential-reading
Harlan sparked my interest in short stories, even though I didn't like a lot of his endings. I'm supremely glad I read this book. The story from which the book gets its name is easily my favorite, perhaps out of all the short stories I've ever read.
Oct 02, 2007
J.P.
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
writers, fantasy readers
I first read this book in high school. I've dipped into it regularly since then. Technically, you can call it "fantasy" or "science fantasy". I call it American literature of the highest degree.
Ellison is one of my main inspirations as a writer. His work transcends the "science fiction/fantasy" tag. Ellison is an American Borges, a U.S. Italo Calvino He easily takes his place among first-tier 20th Century American short story writers. The guy's language, his vision, are just that original. His w...more
Ellison is one of my main inspirations as a writer. His work transcends the "science fiction/fantasy" tag. Ellison is an American Borges, a U.S. Italo Calvino He easily takes his place among first-tier 20th Century American short story writers. The guy's language, his vision, are just that original. His w...more
It was good, but maybe not as great as I anticipated. I haven't really read 'dark fantasy' short stories before, so maybe it's just unfamiliarity with the genre...
More great stuff, short stories, from Ellison. I saw him in Madison a few years ago. Amazingly, he speaks as he writes. And vice-versa.
Another highly recommended collection of Ellison's. Read this way back when and still remember a majority of the stories.
The stand-out story here is "Croatoan," but, as usual, all the stories take you on unforgettable rides.
Stephen King recommended author and book.
King calls Harlan Ellison a "ferociously talented writer."
Book noted as "important to the genre we have been discussing" from Danse Macabre, published in 1981. Book and author discussed in chapter 9 where King also said this about the book: "My Plan is to discuss ten books that seem representative of everything in the genre that is fine; the horror story as both literature and entertainment, a living part of twentieth-century literature..."
King calls Harlan Ellison a "ferociously talented writer."
Book noted as "important to the genre we have been discussing" from Danse Macabre, published in 1981. Book and author discussed in chapter 9 where King also said this about the book: "My Plan is to discuss ten books that seem representative of everything in the genre that is fine; the horror story as both literature and entertainment, a living part of twentieth-century literature..."
My first and favorite book by Harlan. Thank you Amy Lloyd wherever you are.
His grown-up short stories (1978). Nothing memorable. Sort of dark.
Ellison is an ass. If you can deal with that, the stories are"OK".
Croatoan is my favorite story of all time.
Creepy, creepy stories.
Jan 20, 2008
Tressa
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fantasy,
short-stories
This is one of my favorite Harlan Ellison short stories collections, and it's probably mainly for the awesome, and brilliant "Hitler Painted Roses." I don't know how many times I've read this story but it's truly unforgettable, horrifying, and beautiful.
The one negative of the story: it introduced me to the evil that is Gilles de Rais. I did a little research on this infamous man in history and still haven't been able to sweep him from my mind. *shudder*
The one negative of the story: it introduced me to the evil that is Gilles de Rais. I did a little research on this infamous man in history and still haven't been able to sweep him from my mind. *shudder*
I've gotta be honest, y'all. I have no idea where this book has gone. My purses generally being large and literary, I suspect it is in one of my discards, somewhere towards the bottom of a pile of whatnot in a neglected corner of my apartment.
Some clear gems here. My favorite was Mother, about a recently deceased Jewish mother who comes back solely to nudge her son. Hysterical. The funny are better than the more conventional science fiction/horror in this collection.
Feb 20, 2012
Lori
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
favorites,
short-story-collections
Filled with beautiful prose and provocative turns of phrase, Ellison's work leaves you with more than a sense of enjoyment; his tales make you think. And what you think will change the more you ponder.
Probably the most influential book of short stories I've read. This hit me at exactly the right age and made me a lifelong fan of Harlan Ellison.
Jul 09, 2007
Jeff Yrmom
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Fans of fantasy
He says he's not fantasy. But these are awful fantastic. The underground city of aborted fetuses looking for the abandoning daddies? Come ON!
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Harlan Jay Ellison is a prolific American writer of short stories, novellas, teleplays, essays, and criticism. His literary and television work has received many awards. He wrote for the original series of both The Outer Limits and Star Trek as well as The Alfred Hitchcock Hour; edited the multiple-award-winning short story anthology series Dangerous Visions; and served as creative consultant/writ...more
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“The trick is not becoming a writer. The trick is staying a writer.”
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