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51st out of 100 books
—
46 voters
Black Tickets: Stories
Jayne Anne Phillips's reputation-making debut collection paved the way for a new generation of writers. Raved about by reviewers and embraced by the likes of Raymond Carver, Frank Conroy, Annie Dillard, and Nadine Gordimer, Black Tickets now stands as a classic.
With an uncanny ability to depict the lives of men and women who rarely register in our literature, Phillips writ...more
With an uncanny ability to depict the lives of men and women who rarely register in our literature, Phillips writ...more
Paperback, 288 pages
Published
September 11th 2001
by Vintage
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Ground-breaking, brilliant, masterful.
I'm sure many writers have been inspired by the stories in this collection. Phillips published these stories in the 70's, the style of which now seem to be all over the internet. I have to admit that there were two stories that befuddled me at their ends (as a lot of these short-short stories in general seem to do to me) but I still think that's my lack of perception and not the author's fault.
Two of the stories also seemed to have the same female lead chara...more
I'm sure many writers have been inspired by the stories in this collection. Phillips published these stories in the 70's, the style of which now seem to be all over the internet. I have to admit that there were two stories that befuddled me at their ends (as a lot of these short-short stories in general seem to do to me) but I still think that's my lack of perception and not the author's fault.
Two of the stories also seemed to have the same female lead chara...more
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Jayne Anne Phillip’s collection of short stories Black Tickets were touted as “original” and “the best since Eudora Welty” and “early genius” upon first publication in 1979.
In 2008, I didn’t find them to be all that compelling or original, but that may be a sign of the times. I just don’t believe that if these were published today for the first time they’d inspire the same accolades. And isn't that the test of a classic, standing the test of time?
The use of shock and rawness as a literary devic...more
In 2008, I didn’t find them to be all that compelling or original, but that may be a sign of the times. I just don’t believe that if these were published today for the first time they’d inspire the same accolades. And isn't that the test of a classic, standing the test of time?
The use of shock and rawness as a literary devic...more
Ok. another rule-breaker.. read this one AGES ago, but I just added Christie Malry's Own Double entry, because it was one of the few books that made me laugh out loud (and to cry as well), and on that flip side, I add, Jayne Anne Phillips's short story collection, Black Tickets.
As the book-track of my life goes this is a huge milestone. As I recall, I stumbled upon this as a junior in high school, i think I had just gone to a reading by Harlan Ellison (who! a story for another time!), and there...more
As the book-track of my life goes this is a huge milestone. As I recall, I stumbled upon this as a junior in high school, i think I had just gone to a reading by Harlan Ellison (who! a story for another time!), and there...more
If someone asked me to describe Flannery O'Connor as music, I'd refer them to classic blues and hard-edged folk like Son House and Leadbelly and early Dylan.
If someone asked me to describe Jayne Anne Phillips' Black Tickets as music, I'd sit her down with a playlist that included a narrow band of blues/post-blues tunes infused with rock and punk, like Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac doing I Loved Another Woman , Catpower singing Robert Johnson's Come on in My Kitchen , PJ Harvey doing Dylan's Highw...more
If someone asked me to describe Jayne Anne Phillips' Black Tickets as music, I'd sit her down with a playlist that included a narrow band of blues/post-blues tunes infused with rock and punk, like Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac doing I Loved Another Woman , Catpower singing Robert Johnson's Come on in My Kitchen , PJ Harvey doing Dylan's Highw...more
Great collection of short stories that exhibit impressive economy. Sparse punctuation, no quotes, plenty of fragments. Often stories lasted no more than a three paragraphs over two pages. A must-read for any one interested in the art of conveying more with less.
Aside from "1934" and "El Paso" (which I add begrudgingly, as it did almost the same thing as "1934" except poorly), Black Tickets is a series of eye-rolling, "look at me using the word 'cunt' in the 70's" imagery stacked up on top of itself for no apparent reason. When Phillips can avoid talking about licking someone's thighs or wafting in the stars or grinding inside another being, she's not a bad writer. However, even when those moments come about, she more often than not ends up falling into...more
I live to find books like this. I don't know what I want to do with my life other than find those books that make you vibrate with excitement - this was one of those books. Sometimes it feels like I'll never find another book that hits me hard, ever again and then I do and my faith is restored. The only reason I want to live to be old, old, old is so that I might find every good book in the world and experience what I felt with reading this, it was amazing.
Some of the stories lost me but I think...more
Some of the stories lost me but I think...more
A dazzling first story collection, shocking when it was published. Not all of the stories have stood the test of time (some of them are mere vignettes, others are poetic narrative exercises that fail to gel into something complete)but the best of them are the unmistakeable work of a bold young artist trying her range.
So thrilled to have found JAP. She certainly gives Mary Gaitskill a run for her money. Dark, sexy, surreal stories, this was a real joy to read. Also, this must have been some of the first flash fiction, back in 1975. Great collection, off to read more of her work.
Hard, hard short stories written by a native West Virginian. They speak to the lives of our most disenfranchised and they are disturbing. I will probably re-read at some point because I could sense an arc to the stories that may merit further exploration.
I read this when it first came out and highly recommend it for anyone interested in short stories that deal with sexuality. It is gritty and shows the street life of the underworld. It is up there on my list with Mary Gaitskills Bad Girls.
If anyone is interested where poetry meets prose, this is where it begins. Astonishingly forward and musical. The beat, the hum of her writing, it is like the beating of one's heart.
These stories have splendid mood swings, from languid moments of whispered introspection to rage squealed through megaphones.
I have a literary crush on Ms. Phillips.
I have a literary crush on Ms. Phillips.
Dec 14, 2010
Aajibah'
is currently reading it
She's a saucy one that Jayne Anne Phillips, just don't look up her picture, it breaks the spell. Sexy authors should remain a figment of the imagination.
I really liked some stories, but couldn't get into others. Stylistically, it was inconsistent, and I was turned off when the stories read more like dense poetry than prose. I was also not so enamored with the brief, one or two page portraits interspersed throughout the book.
While I understood the acclamations for the writing, I found the stories so depressing that I did not finish the book, which was unusual.
thought I'd added this but obvioulsy not. Great collection of hard hitting v. short stories. Read in the 80s alongside Carver, Ford et al..
One of my favorite books! Lyrical yet edgy and savvy swift takes
that stay with you after you've read them.
that stay with you after you've read them.
The original flash fiction. A pioneer. Some very moving stories, doing a lot in a very small space.
Read this one a while ago. Came across it while cleaning out my bookshelf.
Some excellent, gritty short stories, that, unfortunately, tend to blur together a bit. "Snow" is possibly one of my top ten short stories of all time. Of all time.
I learned the name of a writer I had never heard about. I found this book in the exchange bin at the library. Now I own her Machine Dreams, pounced on at a book sale. It's terse and quirky.
Oct 28, 2009
Emily
added it
wow, way to graphic nasty and gritty for me...
Aug 17, 2012
Denise
marked it as to-read
I plan to read this soon.
mindblowing
I'm embarrassed to say I had not read the complete book before, just the shorter stories in various anthologies. While I had always enjoyed her brief ones, I was blown away by the longer ones. I can only imagine why this book is not taught more in Lit classes, perhaps because of the very gritty content, but it should be. It's a real lesson on what can be done with the English language and with narrative voice. I was less entranced by the title story than by some of the others, such as Country. S...more
1 like · like · see review
This collection walks a tightrope wire of dense, lyrically visceral prose. As such, it is a bit uneven. Certain stories sing with a meld of memory and present, others seem too unmoored. Many of the stories are so brief that they seem to be portraits: a quick, charcoal sketch, drawn in furious haste. I have mixed feelings on whether or not they are successful.
Still, I give this collection 4 stars because when it works, it really works, and I found myself provoked and challenged, even by the lesse...more
Still, I give this collection 4 stars because when it works, it really works, and I found myself provoked and challenged, even by the lesse...more
short stories, sad
Amazing.
a strong collection. "Lechery" is one of the most amazing/powerful stories i've ever read, equal parts inspiring and intimidating.
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Jayne Anne Phillips is an American novelist and short story writer. Phillips graduated from West Virginia University, earning a B.A. in 1974, and later graduated from the Iowa Writers' Workshop at the University of Iowa.
Phillips has held teaching positions at several colleges and universities, including Harvard University, Williams College, and Boston University. She is currently Professor of Engl...more
More about Jayne Anne Phillips...
Phillips has held teaching positions at several colleges and universities, including Harvard University, Williams College, and Boston University. She is currently Professor of Engl...more
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