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49th out of 84 books
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East, West: Stories
From the Booker Prize-winning author of The Satanic Verses comes nine stories that reveal the oceanic distances and the unexpected intimacies between East and West. Daring, extravagant, comical and humane, this book renews Rushdie's stature as a storyteller who can enthrall and instruct us with the same sentence.
Paperback, 224 pages
Published
December 23rd 1995
by Vintage
(first published 1994)
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East, West is the first collection of short stories by Salman Rushdie. There are nine stories, six of which have been published previously in magazines. In the East section: Good Advice Is Rarer Than Rubies, where a woman seeking a permit to London gets some good advice from an advice wallah, but uses it is a way he doesn’t expect; The Free Radio, where a rickshaw driver maintains his faith in a government reward from the sterilisation clinic; and The Prophet’s Hair, where we learn that crime, e...more
The format of this short story collection seems to be a statement itself, and that kind of extra text meta-fictive nonsense pisses me off. If you can't do it with your words alone, then you can't do it, not in a novel or short story anyway.
Rushdie presents three groups of three stories, the first labeled "East" the second "West" and the third "East, West." If we are to take these groupings to represent Rushdie's views or experience of each culture, the...more
Rushdie presents three groups of three stories, the first labeled "East" the second "West" and the third "East, West." If we are to take these groupings to represent Rushdie's views or experience of each culture, the...more
Ever since the fatwa, I've intended to read some Rushdie,
but maybe have checked a few books out from the library
never to really crack them meaningfully.
Glad that has changed with this collection of short stories.
The mood and writing are playful, yet confident, and for
me I guess I was surprised at how 20th century the stories
felt. I expected something more air-tight and erudite, but
reading these nine stories was largely a lark. One of the
more ...more
but maybe have checked a few books out from the library
never to really crack them meaningfully.
Glad that has changed with this collection of short stories.
The mood and writing are playful, yet confident, and for
me I guess I was surprised at how 20th century the stories
felt. I expected something more air-tight and erudite, but
reading these nine stories was largely a lark. One of the
more ...more
Enjoyed the Indian "East" short stories tremendously. Somehow did not relate much (actually not at all) to the "West" stories - somehow in those, felt he was trying too hard to impress when simple is what he does best - although since I've not read Rushdie before have no clue what he does best but that was my impression - that he was trying to capture an audience not familiar with him... Maybe I failed to see the message of the collection?. "Yorrick" just didn't see...more
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This is my second brush with Rushdie... and I still haven't been fully satisfied by his work. The stories were imaginative, full of that magical realism Rushdie has claimed as his own. They were all easy to read and it was fun to see him experiment with different styles, syntax, and form. But for some reason, the volume seemed scattered; there was nothing really holding the stories together, except that some were based in the East, and others had some Western allusions thrown in (Shakespeare, pe...more
Having read and enjoyed a couple of Rushdie's books I had high expectations of this one. Two of the nine stories in this collection I found very enjoyable. Most of the others were, in my opinion, mediocre, and a couple didn't grab me at all.
Somehow I feel he is trying too hard to be clever and perhaps it doesn't work so well when there's less than twenty pages to develop the story.
My score of 3 is thanks to the two good stories: 'The Harmony of the Spheres' and 'The Courter'...more
Somehow I feel he is trying too hard to be clever and perhaps it doesn't work so well when there's less than twenty pages to develop the story.
My score of 3 is thanks to the two good stories: 'The Harmony of the Spheres' and 'The Courter'...more
I don't often read short stories, but Rushdie has never once ceased to impress me (and, more often than not, totally bowl me over), so I figured it was worth a shot.
As expected, it was mostly magnificent. His style varies widely from story to story, demonstrating his erudition and imaginative capabilities as he jumps deftly from poignant snapshots in time to experimental postmodern monologues. As always, he writes with exuberance, precision, delicacy, joy, and occasional venom.
...more
As expected, it was mostly magnificent. His style varies widely from story to story, demonstrating his erudition and imaginative capabilities as he jumps deftly from poignant snapshots in time to experimental postmodern monologues. As always, he writes with exuberance, precision, delicacy, joy, and occasional venom.
...more
Like most short story collections, this one has hits and misses: "At the Auction of the Ruby Slippers" and the delightfully Joycean/Borgesian "Yorick" occupy the former category, while "Good Advice is Rarer than Rubies" and "Chekov and Zulu" fall into the latter. Nonetheless, the sheer variety of styles is worthwhile in this volume. Since every piece is so short, Rushdie allows himself to experiment in ways that he doesn't in his novels (again, see "...more
Katie M.
rated it
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review of another edition
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review of another edition
Recommended to Katie M. by:
Joy
Shelves:
2011,
shortstory
My lifelong distaste for short stories has softened somewhat in my carless old age - narratives that distract me for 3-8 minute increments are just about perfect for a bus ride of any length. This was my first Rushdie and the jury's still out... the first section was fine, the second section almost lost me for good, but the third section completely sucked me back in. I still owe Rebecca a long-overdue read of Haroun and the Sea of Stories, so maybe I'll withhold my final judgement until then.
This little book provided a special experience. The first four stories were definitely my favorites, so after those I couldn't help but find that the remaining jewels in the collection less lustrous. But they were jewels nonetheless.
From my experience, I'd say Rushdie's short stories are more accessible than his long fiction. But whatever you chose to read of his, it's worth it. So just go at it.
From my experience, I'd say Rushdie's short stories are more accessible than his long fiction. But whatever you chose to read of his, it's worth it. So just go at it.
Rushdie's writing contains the joyous confusions of being claimed by two cultures. I love when Rushdie digresses and lets loose a curious flood of details, such as when describing a case of noxious bad breath or delivering a feast of images as he does in "At The Auction of the Ruby Slippers." These stories are short--you can enjoy an 11-minute vacation and come back with something to think about.
I read this book with my husband in a hosptial in India, after he had an attack from his leukemia. I read this series of short stories to him as he lay in his hospital bed. He was very ill in a foreign country, and despite these very frigthening circumstances, we laughed till we cried, convinced that this book could speak to no one else in the world more directly than to us.
I found the stories in East, West to be very thought-provoking, especially the stories in the third (East, West) section. I wasn't sure how he would create the stories that were a meeting of two 'sides' of the world in the last section, but they were very well done, and fit the title very well. The ruby slippers story in the West section had some very interesting lines and commentary on human society, although the story as a whole was fairly mysterious.
Rushdie writes music. His prose is so entrancing, it's like the words don't even pass your eyeballs- they just appear directly in your brain by magic or teleportation. Like they could just as easily come to you while you're doing laundry or taking a walk, and you wouldn't even have to open the book.
The stories feel painfully and correctly short. They suck you in quickly, so you only feel the loss of the last one for a little while. I liked the ones in the East category and West...more
The stories feel painfully and correctly short. They suck you in quickly, so you only feel the loss of the last one for a little while. I liked the ones in the East category and West...more
This is my first crack at reading Salman Rushdie and I am left feeling somewhat ambivilent. There was nothing wrong with any of these stories. In fact, as I look a the titles I can recall each of the stories rather clearly, but not one of them touched me. I never connected with any of the characters. I couldn't relate; I never felt drawn in to the stories -- even "Chekov and Zulu" which is Star Trek themed!
The closest I came to 'enjoying' a story was "The Prophet's Hai...more
The closest I came to 'enjoying' a story was "The Prophet's Hai...more
Rushdie is a beautiful writer, manipulating language in both playful and erudite ways. East, West isn't one of his best books (Midnight's Children is my favorite so far), but still a fun, quick read. The characters and scenarios are interesting, but nothing groundbreaking here.
I don't know if it was because these stories held so few of the qualities that I love in Rushdie's writing or if it just fails to meet the high bar that Jhumpa Lahiri set for short stories in Interpreter of Maladies but this just didn't really work for me.
Not sure about it... I read somewhere that this should be fun, I didn't laugh, ok, there were some smiles, but nothing really funny... I have to say I am not so sure about his skills for short stories...I mean, they are ok, but they lack smth, not sure what, maybe I wasn't so convinced... All in all, it was nice reading it.
I liked this selection of short stories.. This is the first body of works I have read by him. He is entertaining and precise in his mentality of East and West. He captures the raw emotions of mental illness in The Harmony Of The Spheres. From the rip-roaring story, Yorick to The Courter, you will have a good time.
This is a fun book and a quick read. It was at the house here already I think because of the Columbus story--which was fun--especially because we're living in the city where he first met with Isabella. I especially enjoyed the pieces that were (I think) loosely autobiographical.
I read this a while ago and truthfully don't remember much of it... This review pertains solely to the second story, The Free Radio. It's about a young man, a rickshaw-driver, who gets tricked into marrying this older, I guess good-looking but bitter and manipulative woman who already has a bunch of kids from a previous marriage. The rickshaw driver (a good career by the way, in the eyes of the narrator) is a dreamer and has no common sense. I made all my students at Garfield read this -- male a...more
Nine stories, three set in the east, three in the west and three showing the convergence of the two cultures of the two hemispheres.
I enjoyed how the narrative voice changed between the stoic, observing east and the subjective, self-centered west without sounding too stylized or voice-driven.
Rushdie often reimagines true or popular stories; a Christopher Columbus who literally lusts after a trip across the ocean, a dystopian future where the Wizard of Oz and Cinderella co...more
I enjoyed how the narrative voice changed between the stoic, observing east and the subjective, self-centered west without sounding too stylized or voice-driven.
Rushdie often reimagines true or popular stories; a Christopher Columbus who literally lusts after a trip across the ocean, a dystopian future where the Wizard of Oz and Cinderella co...more
This was my second encounter with Rushdie (the first being Midnight's Children) and I was slightly disappointed. All of the stories were good and I liked the concept of the work as a whole but I expected more. It's possible that I set my expectations too high since I loved his novel so much but the point is that it didn't live up to my standards. Although he remains the king of endings these short stories were missing that little extra something that I loved so much in Midnight's Children.
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Enjoyable short stories that depicts the tug of war between east and west for southasians. Chekov and Zulu is one of my favorites. Again, gives great historical perspective to a period that I knew little of.
parah banget deh. salah ketik. terjemahan ga beres. khas penerbit indonesia. atas nama idealisme apapun jadilah. termasuk garapan sembarangan dan pembaca disuruh keluar uang untuk itu. ampun deh.
I liked the first few stories in the "East" side of the book. Then the other ones fell flat for me. Didn't really catch on to the characters and the writing was not as inviting somehow.
Salman Rushdie is indeed a brilliant writer. Even though I am not a fan of the short story format per se, this was more than convincing. The language alone makes it worth reading, the characters you encounter are merely an added bonus.
A short story collection recommended by Jessica. I enjoyed a couple of the early (East) stories, but overall they left me mystified, as short stories usually do.
Del Emi
rated it
Recommends it for:
Those who are stuck between two worlds and two cultures and choices to make.
Just a couple quotes I absolutely enjoyed:
"... 'Home' has become such a scattered, damagd, various concept in our presents travails. There is so much to yearn for. There are so few rainbows anymore[...]. They promised to take us home, but are metaphors of homeliness comprehensible to them, are abstractions permissable? Are they literalists, or will they permit us to redefine the blessed word? Are we asking, hoping for too much? "
"This penetration of ...more
"... 'Home' has become such a scattered, damagd, various concept in our presents travails. There is so much to yearn for. There are so few rainbows anymore[...]. They promised to take us home, but are metaphors of homeliness comprehensible to them, are abstractions permissable? Are they literalists, or will they permit us to redefine the blessed word? Are we asking, hoping for too much? "
"This penetration of ...more
Definitely a literary read, but Rushdie pulls it off. His characters are believable, his storytelling subtle. A nice study in style.
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Sir Ahmed Salman Rushdie is a novelist and essayist. Much of his early fiction is set at least partly on the Indian subcontinent. His style is often classified as magical realism, while a dominant theme of his work is the story of the many connections, disruptions and migrations between the Eastern and Western world.
His fourth novel, The Satanic Verses, led to protests from Muslims in ...more
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His fourth novel, The Satanic Verses, led to protests from Muslims in ...more
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