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66th out of 146 books
—
40 voters
Great Dream of Heaven
by
Sam Shepard
In eighteen stories unlike any in our contemporary literature, Sam Shepard explores the vast and rugged American West with the same parched intensity that has made him “the great playwright of his generation” (The New York Times).
A boy watches a “remedy man” tame a wild stallion, a contest that mirrors his own struggle with his father. A woman driving her mother’s ashes ac...more
A boy watches a “remedy man” tame a wild stallion, a contest that mirrors his own struggle with his father. A woman driving her mother’s ashes ac...more
Paperback, 160 pages
Published
November 11th 2003
by Vintage
(first published 1999)
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Wow, Sam Shepard writes amazing dialogue. And - wow, does he write terrible prose. Good thing he's better known as a playwright, because that seems like exactly what he naturally should be. Some of the all-dialogue scenes are so well-rendered and beautiful that they could break your heart. Some of the prose could also break your heart, but in the bad way - a lot of awkwardsness and not very much that is innovative or special.
I should have known going into the book since I borrowed it from Ben,...more
I should have known going into the book since I borrowed it from Ben,...more
Fans of playwright Sam Shepard will enjoy this collection of short pieces, many of them not more than monologues or brief sketches of dialogue. Sometimes the blanks are filled in and we get an actual short story, as in the title story, about two elderly men who compete for the attention of a waitress at Denny's. Also, "An Unfair Question," in which an over-inquisitive party guest interested in guns is taken to the basement by her host, who becomes dangerously impatient with her.
Others tend towar...more
Others tend towar...more
In 18 stories unlike any in our contemporary literature, Sam Shepard explores the vast and rugged American West with the same parched intensity that has made him the great playwright of his generation. A boy watches a "remedy man" tame a wild stallion, a contest that mirrors his own struggle with his father. A woman driving her mother's ashes across the country has a strangely transcendent run-in with an injured hawk. Two aging widowers, in Stetsons and bolo ties, together make a daily pilgrimag...more
Reading what so ever written by Shepard means going through a shortened social history of America after wwII, and up til the end of 20.century. Plots are so simple and dialogues are not very much sophisticated. Myabe some of works by Shepard are not as interesting as the others, but for those whom are interested in history and sociology, also theatre and drama as writing-art, will enjoy reading or watching works by Shepard. I’m agreed with those who believe reading simple and palin plays by Shep...more
The Remedy Man ***oo
Coalinga ½ Way ****o
Berlin Wall Piece ****o
Blinking Eye ****o
Betty’s Cats ***oo
The Door to Women ****o
Foreigners **ooo
Living the Sign ****o
The Company’s Interest ***oo
Concepcion ***oo
It Wasn’t Proust ****o
Convulsion **ooo
An Unfair Question ****o
A Frightening Seizure ***oo
Tinnitus ***oo
The Stout of Heart ***oo
Great Dream of Heaven ****o
All the Trees Are Naked ****o
Coalinga ½ Way ****o
Berlin Wall Piece ****o
Blinking Eye ****o
Betty’s Cats ***oo
The Door to Women ****o
Foreigners **ooo
Living the Sign ****o
The Company’s Interest ***oo
Concepcion ***oo
It Wasn’t Proust ****o
Convulsion **ooo
An Unfair Question ****o
A Frightening Seizure ***oo
Tinnitus ***oo
The Stout of Heart ***oo
Great Dream of Heaven ****o
All the Trees Are Naked ****o
It didn't start particularly well. Never read the author, although I thought that starting with very short stories was a good plan.
I was mistaken - there are some true gems in this collection - some stories are totally forgettable, but some are simply un-put-downable. The tone is clearly mid-America daily routines, but Sam Shepard knows how to keep the reader's interest alive. The friendship between two old men shattered by the unexpected, a hawk messing the last journey of a mother, these stor...more
I was mistaken - there are some true gems in this collection - some stories are totally forgettable, but some are simply un-put-downable. The tone is clearly mid-America daily routines, but Sam Shepard knows how to keep the reader's interest alive. The friendship between two old men shattered by the unexpected, a hawk messing the last journey of a mother, these stor...more
I enjoyed reading these very short stories, but I was also glad I didn't have to linger any longer than 142 pages in a world where men are distant and volatile, women are warily tolerant.
Neither my favorite nor least favorite parts of the book were written by Shepard, though. My least favorite was the fussy note, at the end, about the font: 'Although modeled on the Aldine type used for Pietro Cardinal Bembo's treatise De Aetna in 1495, Dante is a thorougly modern interpretation of the venerable...more
Neither my favorite nor least favorite parts of the book were written by Shepard, though. My least favorite was the fussy note, at the end, about the font: 'Although modeled on the Aldine type used for Pietro Cardinal Bembo's treatise De Aetna in 1495, Dante is a thorougly modern interpretation of the venerable...more
Short stories by playwright and "The Right Stuff" actor Sam Shepard.
A nice collection of blue collar type stories about everyday life, so really the type of stuff I like to read. The writing is fairly poetic the characters are great and the stories themselves are very uncomplicated and easy to relate to.
The two stories that stuck out for me were - A woman who drives an urn with the ashes of her mother cross country. The other one was is written from the perspective of a gas station attendant who...more
A nice collection of blue collar type stories about everyday life, so really the type of stuff I like to read. The writing is fairly poetic the characters are great and the stories themselves are very uncomplicated and easy to relate to.
The two stories that stuck out for me were - A woman who drives an urn with the ashes of her mother cross country. The other one was is written from the perspective of a gas station attendant who...more
Why did I wait so long to get back to this author? Read him first in
late 2010, a whole small book in one gulp, finished at midnight (I see
by my review of that one). I'm making up for lost time now with no reason
to stop while inter-library loans keep working for me. What a refreshing
voice he has!
late 2010, a whole small book in one gulp, finished at midnight (I see
by my review of that one). I'm making up for lost time now with no reason
to stop while inter-library loans keep working for me. What a refreshing
voice he has!
من هم زیاد نمی دونستم سر چی ناراحت بوده م. هیچ وقت نتونستم روش انگشت بذارم بگم این. شاید سر یه سوال بی جا بوده. نظر تو چیه؟ این که از کسی بپرسی چرا خیلی خیلی ناراحته؟
back at the house, the party is now in full swing. balloons hang from the front gate. the dogs have been locked in the garage, whining and clawing desperately at the door. why they crave human attention is beyond me.
is there anything sam shepard can't do?
is there anything sam shepard can't do?
I love the plays of Shepard, but found this collection of short stories merely average. (Just one, the story of a woman who finds an injured hawk on the highway, caught my interest and stays with me now that the book is finished.)
اولین داستان هایی بود که از سام شپارد خوندم. خوب پرداخت شده بودند .. نویسنده های معاصر امریکایی همشون راحت می نویسن
تو فرودگاه-هواپیما خوندم
ترجمهی عالی ِ امیرمهدیحقیقت ، لذت ِخوندن داستانا رو مضاعف کرد
ترجمهی عالی ِ امیرمهدیحقیقت ، لذت ِخوندن داستانا رو مضاعف کرد
1 like · like · see review
I'd never read any Shepard before, so this was a cool introduction to his work. I'll certainly read more of him, both his plays and his short stories.
There were two stories that I really liked in this collection, but the others didn't strike me. My favorite was "The Door to Women."
به غیر یکی دوتا داستان از همهشون خیلی خوشم اومد. اولین بار بود از سام شپارد چیزی میخوندم. داستانهاش رو خیلی خوب پرداخت کرده و از توصیفات قوی محیط و روابط بین آدمها و حسی که تو داستانهاش بود خیلی خوشم اومد. البته از ترجمهی خوب امیرمهدی حقیقت هم نباید غافل شد.
خلاصه اینکه خیلی خوشم اومد
خلاصه اینکه خیلی خوشم اومد
Aug 11, 2011
Debbie
added it
Don't you just love Sam Shepard? He makes it all look so easy. I wish I could write like he does.
Scenes covering the most regular, every day people and situations with the slightest touch of whimsey thrown in, usually at the end. That's almost every story though I'm hesitant to call them "stories". I'm not a fan of whimsy, and I don't like my writing or stories to be too plain, and these are. There just wasn't much here for me, I was glad the stories as well as the book itself was short. The only ones I actually enjoyed were The Stout of Heart (dark, heavy, hopeless and honest) and An Unfai...more
هیچکدوم از داستانا به باحالی داستان اول نبود یا توهم من اینه
My first Shepard. These short pieces are more scenes than stories, befitting his background, but they are mostly choice scenes. Shepard seems particularly concerned with those moments when the cracks in the facade of everyday life start to open up and become fissures.
Sam can do no wrong.
بسیارعالی و خواندنی
pretty good
همهاش به كنار، خود داستان خواب خوب بهشت عجب چيزي بود!
Pretty decent stuff. But as with much of his work post- "A Lie of the Mind", he's been interested in well-constructed material; I enjoy it when he shoots off into silly land, the weird places of the mind and emotions. Which he sometimes does here; but those who want to get to know him, his "Motel Chronicles" is the place to go.
The story "Coalinga 1/2 Way" alone is worth the price of admission to this collection.
Paris, TX is my favorite movie of all time (screenplay by Sam Shepard). Reading this book of short stories I'm almost disturbed by how much I connect with his *male* characters. It might be time for a girls night! I don't know why but I loved these often very short portrait type stories. If you find a copy of this laying around pick it up a read a story you'll know immediately if it is for you or not.
There's a great story in here that I absolutely love about two gay cowboys who have lived every day together for the last 50 years, and one day, the unexpected happens in their relationship. Really well written. A lot of his stories have the feeling of being plays (his primary form of writing, I believe), so I feel less engaged, but there are some good ones in here.
disappointing
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Sam Shepard is an American artist who worked as an award-winning playwright, writer and actor. His many written works are known for being frank and often absurd, as well as for having an authentic sense of the style and sensibility of the gritty modern American west. He is an actor of the stage and motion pictures; a director of stage and film; author of several books of short stories, essays, and...more
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17. Februar, 07:05 Uhr