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109th out of 1,167 books
—
878 voters
In the Garden of the North American Martyrs
by
Tobias Wolff
Among the characters you'll find in this collection of twelve stories by Tobias Wolff are a teenage boy who tells morbid lies about his home life, a timid professor who, in the first genuine outburst of her life, pours out her opinions in spite of a protesting audience, a prudish loner who gives an obnoxious hitchhiker a ride, and an elderly couple on a golden anniversary...more
Paperback, 175 pages
Published
October 1st 1996
by Ecco
(first published 1976)
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Over the course of this last summer I read quite a few collections of short stories, and I've been finding it hard to decide what rating to give them. Should a five star collection be one made up solely of great stories, with no duds, or can five stars be awarded on the basis of one really outstanding story in an otherwise mediocre collection? "In the Garden of the North American Martyrs" falls somewhere in between, hence the four stars I gave it. Not all of the stories are great; in fact a coup...more
There's a long-standing notion literary types have, of looking at people we know and saying that they "live there lives as if they're in a book." Wolff writes a group of short stories where each reads like real life. Nothing is affected here; rather, the mundane occurrences of everyday life are shown for what they really are, for what we, in living them, realize about these occurrences: that they are messy, complicated moments of moral ambiguity to which we bring a sense of moral absolutism that...more
I'm glad I took the time to pick up this collection. I don't read as many short stories as I should - and when I run across a good collection, as was the case here, I'm reminded of how powerful the form can be.
For me the unifying theme of this collection is how poorly people treat each other. Ordinarily I probably wouldn't seek out that kind of fare, but these stories are enjoyable precisely because Wolff is so deft at presenting charachters that are genuinely crappy people. You can almost feel...more
For me the unifying theme of this collection is how poorly people treat each other. Ordinarily I probably wouldn't seek out that kind of fare, but these stories are enjoyable precisely because Wolff is so deft at presenting charachters that are genuinely crappy people. You can almost feel...more
The best, tremendous, practically perfect, one of my favorites? Thats what everyone says in their reviews about Tobias Wolff''s short stories.
"In the Garden of the North American Martyrs" is a quality collection, but alot of the writing is dry and outdated.
Compared to other collections of short stories, Wolff's collection just doesn't match up.
These stories were written between 1976 & 1981 and that explains alot. Several of the stories are really dull and the topics really leave off witho...more
"In the Garden of the North American Martyrs" is a quality collection, but alot of the writing is dry and outdated.
Compared to other collections of short stories, Wolff's collection just doesn't match up.
These stories were written between 1976 & 1981 and that explains alot. Several of the stories are really dull and the topics really leave off witho...more
Jun 03, 2012
Rex
added it
I read this book for a lit class while I was teaching in Milwaukee, and I had not yet had time to develop as a reader. Twenty years later I picked this book back up and re-read it front to cover, and enjoyed every story. There is a quiet and somber tone to the stories. I think it helps to be a more mature reader to grab hold of what Wolff is saying, because most of the stories deal with people who are struggling with certain portions of their lives, and mainly they revolve around adults who are...more
Tobias Wolff’s first book of short stories, In the Garden of the North American Martyrs, is a compelling read. Several of the stories were included in his most recent collection, Our Story Begins: New And Collected Stories. I took a creative writing course in college where I first read Wolff, Carver, Dubus, and other masters of the contemporary short story, the title story was in the anthology and it is a classic. I really like Wolff’s range: he can write about academia without sounding insular,...more
This is an incredible selection of short stories. From the back cover, Joyce Carol Oates proclaims it "one of the strongest ... in recent years" and she is correct in so saying.
The subjects of these tales are imperfect characters, some more self-aware of their brokenness than others, and even the most a-moral retains humanity. Journeying with these flawed souls is as comfortable as putting on a favorite coat. The reader can empathize, even when the experiences depicted may diverge from his/her o...more
The subjects of these tales are imperfect characters, some more self-aware of their brokenness than others, and even the most a-moral retains humanity. Journeying with these flawed souls is as comfortable as putting on a favorite coat. The reader can empathize, even when the experiences depicted may diverge from his/her o...more
Once again, Tobias Wolff amazes. All the great things you read about him and his work are absolutely true. Every story kind of sucks you in to this new world and new situation each time, and holds you through to the end. And no matter what race, gender or age... All the characters are totally believable, and so it makes you interested in everything they do and everything that may happen to them.
He does this great thing where, all his stories start out as normal as can be, all the while you are...more
He does this great thing where, all his stories start out as normal as can be, all the while you are...more
I used to read short stories regularly and I'm not sure why I stopped; this book reminded me why I enjoyed them so much. Of course, Wolff is an exceptional writer, and these stories all leave you thinking about them long after you finish. They are perfect summer reading; grab one at the beach, another out on the deck, and still another after your coffee the next morning. Not light, but not too heavy either; think strawberries with cream instead of the torte.
Wolff is one of my very favorite short fiction writers, and these early stories have the compressed, propulsive energy that makes him great. His characters fail in profound and occasionally hilarious ways, like the two hunters who stop to warm up at a bar while their friend, bleeding from a rifle shot, waits in the pickup bed in the parking lot. These aren't quite as developed as his masterful story collection The Night in Question. Start with that one.
This was Tobias Wolff’s first book, a collection of short stories. If I’d read this before The Night in Question, I probably wouldn’t have bothered picking up another book by him. He clearly made some great advancements in originality and craft in the fifteen years between the two collections. Most of the stories in In the Garden start with an interesting situation, push the characters along and then drop off or end with a off-beat image. Many of the stories feel more like experiments than tight...more
This is a great collection of short stories. They vary in length, topic and tone, but all of them have an almost pungent insight into a character's experience of life. They are extremely relatable, and genuinely interesting.
I had read "Hunters in the Snow" in high school, and had found it, along with a classic Wolff story not in this volume ("Bullet in the Brain") to be among the most memorable short stories I had ever read. It's still a chilling, bizarre story. Other stories take us all over No...more
I had read "Hunters in the Snow" in high school, and had found it, along with a classic Wolff story not in this volume ("Bullet in the Brain") to be among the most memorable short stories I had ever read. It's still a chilling, bizarre story. Other stories take us all over No...more
The stories in this collection are seamlessly told with the kind of art and craft of a great master. In the story “Liar,” James describes the difference between his mother and father: "She was a lighter of candles ... My father was curser of the dark. And he loved to curse the dark," (162). Tobias Wolff also loves to curse the dark and does so lovingly, honestly and precisely.
The only other short story writer that compares to Wolff (in my opinion) is Richard Bausch. I loved this collection. I devoured the book in a day. I wish I had taken more time, because there is so much to digest with each story. I know I will read it again. It is always nice to read a author who is so good at the art of writing itself.
In this case, the rating answers the question "Did you like it?" rather than "Is it good?" There's a difference; Wolff is a very good writer and these are skillfully written stories, but I found them depressing and overall less than enjoyable to read. That's not to say I wouldn't read something else by Wolff.
I forgot how good this one is. One of the best contemporary short story collections available. Wolff, author of This Boy's Life, cuts to the heart of men and maleness with muscular precision and grace. One of my all time favorites.
I'm not a big fan of modern short stories and this is a collection of same. I think I'm just too much a product of TV and movies; I need a plot, some direction. I acknowledge Wolff's mastery of the form but...
I liked this. I didn't like it as much as Old School, but I liked it. I am stoked to read Our Story Begins! Because this was from way back when when he was starting out, and Our Story Begins is newer. Therefore he will have Grown and Matured as a writer and it will be even awesomer!
Sep 22, 2008
Haeri
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
everyone
Recommended to Haeri by:
the New Yorker
Tobias Wolff expertly furrows the rich realism soil with these twelve short stories, fully entrenching me in the all-too lonesome world he depicts. The narrators are not very likable but that is why I like them. They're full of the same neuroticism and shortcomings bubbling under the surface of you and me.
Immediately after starting this, I noticed my writing style turning conspicuously Wolffish. Alas, he made it all look so deceptively simple! So I appropriated some of his imagery cuz, you kno...more
Immediately after starting this, I noticed my writing style turning conspicuously Wolffish. Alas, he made it all look so deceptively simple! So I appropriated some of his imagery cuz, you kno...more
His best. If I were forced to take a train somewhere very far from my home and had only a very small backpack, or no backpack at all, I would take this book with me.
I keep trying with the short stories, but I am just not a huge fan of the genre. Wolff's first volume of stories borders on the terse.
Five stars because it includes my favorite short story of all time, "Hunters in the Snow."
One can find it on the internet if one desires.
One can find it on the internet if one desires.
If you are a college instructor, professor, or otherwise in the academic field, please read the title story. You will like it.
It seems I'm on a Tobias Wolff kick lately. This book is full of liars, cheats, and all-around terrible people. I loved it.
I read this one but I'll have to look back at it for a good review. Wolff is a master of the short story.
Stronger than one would think for a first collection, but it of course doesn't match some of the later stories. There are some great ones in this volume, though.
Another fine collection of stories. I actually don't remember a dang thing but that I loved them.
Tobias Wolff at his finest. A must read. A great collection of short stories.
For the most part, an enjoyable collection of stories. 2nd Faith n Fiction Round Table.
Not a big fan; Wolff's writing is good, but it was very depressing.
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Tobias Jonathan Ansell Wolff is a writer of fiction and nonfiction.
He is best known for his short stories and his memoirs, although he has written two novels.
Wolff is the Ward W. and Priscilla B. Woods Professor in the School of Humanities and Sciences at Stanford University, where he has taught classes in English and creative writing since 1997. He also served as the director of the Creative Writ...more
More about Tobias Wolff...
He is best known for his short stories and his memoirs, although he has written two novels.
Wolff is the Ward W. and Priscilla B. Woods Professor in the School of Humanities and Sciences at Stanford University, where he has taught classes in English and creative writing since 1997. He also served as the director of the Creative Writ...more
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Apr 29, 2009 02:19pm