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Children Playing Before a Statue of Hercules
Children Playing Before a Statue of Hercules is a collection of short stories-some classic, others impending-selected and introduced by David Sedaris. With this audiobook a careful listener can discover the truth about loneliness, betrayal, love and hope.
Where the Door is Always Open and the Welcome Mat is Out
by Patricia Highsmith, read by Cherry Jones
Bullet In the Brain b...more
Where the Door is Always Open and the Welcome Mat is Out
by Patricia Highsmith, read by Cherry Jones
Bullet In the Brain b...more
Audio, 0 pages
Published
March 29th 2005
by Simon & Schuster Audio
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Mar 20, 2008
Katie
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
human beans with heart muscles in working order
Shelves:
short-stories
I gave this book to a friend for her birthday a few years ago and she mentioned that while she loved the book, it was proving to be life threatening. She was reading while walking, while eating, while riding her bike...it was an accident waiting to happen.
The thing about this collection of short stories (chosen, not authored, by David Sedaris) is that every time I finished a story I would think, "Oh definitely. That is my favorite short story EVER." Then, I would read the next story and find tha...more
The thing about this collection of short stories (chosen, not authored, by David Sedaris) is that every time I finished a story I would think, "Oh definitely. That is my favorite short story EVER." Then, I would read the next story and find tha...more
Dec 06, 2008
Adrianne Mathiowetz
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Adrianne by:
Angie
I've been putting off this review, because it's *hard* to review a bunch of completely unrelated stories by authors who also have no connection (beyond "David Sedaris likes them" -- and for the record, the man has motley tastes).
Overall I really enjoyed the book, but there's no basic summary I can give, no message to take home. It was all over the map, from Katherine Mansfield to Tobias Wolff to Dorothy Parker to Jhumpa Lahiri.
A collection like this, of equally strong writing from a diverse co...more
Overall I really enjoyed the book, but there's no basic summary I can give, no message to take home. It was all over the map, from Katherine Mansfield to Tobias Wolff to Dorothy Parker to Jhumpa Lahiri.
A collection like this, of equally strong writing from a diverse co...more
Checked this collection out in audiobook form from the library for the 5 hr drive up to my family cottage at the end of July. I'd seen it listed in the library newsletter as a New Arrival and since I enjoy Sedaris' work so much, I thought I'd give it a try. Note that the audiobook version is abridged & contains only 5 of the stories from the print edition. I now own a paperback copy as a pass-along from my Mom.
With this book, Sedaris selected examples of writing he has been astounded by, in...more
With this book, Sedaris selected examples of writing he has been astounded by, in...more
Feb 19, 2008
Rebecca
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
shortstories,
fiction
This is a compilation of David Sedaris' favorite short stories by literary greats such as Alice Munro, Flannery O'Connor and Dororthy Parker, just to name a few. With a crowd like this, you can expect stories that will leave you ever so slightly unsettled, such as Tobias Wolff's "Bullet in the Brain" and Lorrie Moore's troubling tromp through a pediatric cancer ward in "People Like That Are the Only People Here: Canonical Babbling in Peed Onk." The stories seem to gather eccentric value as the b...more
I've listened to a lot of David Sedaris over the years, and I think he writes fantastic prose and memoirs, occasional raunchiness notwithstanding. I don't know that we are of the same mind in many things, but I will say we are of the same mind when it comes to what short stories we like. I honestly loved almost every single story he chose for this collection, and those I didn't love I certainly respect. Since he is so open about so many aspects of his life, it's not a stretch to see what drew hi...more
Don't get freaked out when you see two stars next to David Sedaris' name...he didn't write the book, he just edited it. But, that's why I was so surprised. It's an interesting collection and not at all what you might assume Sedaris would pick as his favorite short stories. Actually, a lot of them were about death, so not his usual fun topics like midget guitar teachers or christmas whores. But death, or almost dying. So yeah, this is actually a pretty morbid collection of stories. If I could ind...more
I should have known Sedaris would have great taste in short stories...so much more entertaining than picking up the American's Best Short Stories of the Year book!
It took a long time for me to appreciate the short-story form of writing. I can still remember the book that changed my mind--I was in middle school, and it was a collection of stories by commonly-banned authors, including my beloved Judy Blume. I'm so glad I came around in time to find this book.
Sedaris has curated an assortment of his favourite short works by other authors, ranging from the classic to the contemporary, humorous to horrifying, and realistic to fantastical. Some of the stories a...more
Sedaris has curated an assortment of his favourite short works by other authors, ranging from the classic to the contemporary, humorous to horrifying, and realistic to fantastical. Some of the stories a...more
A stellar collection. Summary: Borrowing the book's name from an Adriaen van der Werff painting, "CHILDREN PLAYING BEFORE A STATUE OF HERCULES" is David Sedaris's attempt to share his passion for short stories with a wider audience-and his enthusiasm is contagious. "The authors in this book are huge to me, and I am a comparative midget, scratching around in their collective shadow. 'Pint sized Fanatic Bowing Before Statues of Hercules' might have been more concise, but people don't paint things...more
A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to see David Sedaris speak at UCLA. In my haste to make sure that I had read all of Sedaris' books, I bought " Children Playing Before a Statue of Hercules" on my Kindle. It turns out, that this a collection of Sedaris' favorite short stories and he edited the compilation.
I am not the slightest bit disappointed that this wasn't a collection of Sedaris stories, because the selections he picked are fantastic. In fact, this is probably the best collection of shor...more
I am not the slightest bit disappointed that this wasn't a collection of Sedaris stories, because the selections he picked are fantastic. In fact, this is probably the best collection of shor...more
A friend gave me this, as we are both Sedaris fans. None of this is his work (save the introduction, which was on par with most of his better essays), but I decided to trust his judgment and try something new. As with most collections, the stories were of varying quality.
Where the Door is Always Open and the Welcome Mat is Out by Patricia Highsmith, read by Cherry Jones: Mildred is rushing around frantically to prepare for her sister Edith’s visit. The reader was great, but the story itself was...more
Where the Door is Always Open and the Welcome Mat is Out by Patricia Highsmith, read by Cherry Jones: Mildred is rushing around frantically to prepare for her sister Edith’s visit. The reader was great, but the story itself was...more
First of all, let me admit that I'm not a big fan of short stories, especially when it comes to picking a book for a long airplane trip. I need a novel that sucks me into character and plot in order that I may forget my reality of being squashed in an airplane seat 3,000feet in the air. Choosing not to take a library book for my trip to Seattle (inconvenience of schlepping a hardback coupled with fear of losing it, and, no, of course, I don't have a Kindle), I grabbed a paperback that had been s...more
Feb 27, 2009
Sheela
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
anthology,
short-stories
This was a great book, filled with classic short stories chosen by David Sedaris. Most of the short stories involve death, but each story is powerful in its own way. One stood out in my mind by Lorrie Moore entitled, "People like that are the only people here." The story is about a couple's baby, diagnosed with cancer. It was heart-wrenching to read and hard to get through emotionally, but it was a story I've never read before. Another stand-out was the "Garden Party" by Katherine Mansfield. The...more
It is usually difficult to rate a collection of short stories. I mean, you like some, love others, and possibly despise one or two. In this case I would say that I didn't hate any of them, although there are a few that were only so-so. Perhaps the best way to review this book is to say that overall I definitely enjoyed it. And then maybe to list the stories that I loved:
Gryphon by Charles Baxter (quirky and crazy)
Half a Grapefruit by Alice Munro (love the quiet determination)
Where the Door Is Al...more
Gryphon by Charles Baxter (quirky and crazy)
Half a Grapefruit by Alice Munro (love the quiet determination)
Where the Door Is Al...more
I'm not a regular reader of fiction, but when I find an author I enjoy, I tend to read the entire collection of his/her work. I love David Sedaris's humor and writing, so purchased this along with several of his other books. When I learned that this was "just" a collection of his favorite short stories instead of his own words, I was disappointed. That feeling of disappointment continued through about half of the stories in Hercules, some of which I had to force myself to finish, and one of whic...more
Author and humorist Sedaris puts together an anthology of short fiction that blends classic authors like D. Parker and K. Mansfield with newer names like Jhumpa Lahiri and Charles Baxter, all while avoiding titles that are usual suspects. Even the Parker entry, "Song of the Shirt, 1941" will be new to many. (And yes, you'll probably know Flannery O'Connor's "Revelation," but there's no such thing as too much Flannery O'Connor.)
Sedaris did it, apparently, simply by choosing stories he likes. And...more
Sedaris did it, apparently, simply by choosing stories he likes. And...more
I'm not really sure why this collection exists. I understand that David Sedaris published a collection of the short stories that influenced him the most as a writer and reader, but I still don't see why this couldn't have been, at most, a list from an interview. The short stories themselves I thought were fine, and one in particular introduced me to my new favorite author, but the fact that they lacked some thematic connection bothered me. When I went from story to story, I ended up thinking mor...more
Oh my good heavens to mercy what an amazingly entertaining book. Fantastic writing from many different voices, very refreshing.
I love David Sedaris and found interesting this collection of favorite short stories that he likes.
Im also a Flannery O'Connor fan, and enjoyed re-reading "Revelation" here. Some other ones I liked were Katherine Mansfield's "Garden Party" and Charles Baxter's "Gryphon."
Some of the stories just sort of ended- I almost felt like the author didn't know how to conclude and played it off as being "artsy" or avante guarde by copping out.
Regardless, it was nice to read some new (to me) short stories...more
Im also a Flannery O'Connor fan, and enjoyed re-reading "Revelation" here. Some other ones I liked were Katherine Mansfield's "Garden Party" and Charles Baxter's "Gryphon."
Some of the stories just sort of ended- I almost felt like the author didn't know how to conclude and played it off as being "artsy" or avante guarde by copping out.
Regardless, it was nice to read some new (to me) short stories...more
I love David Sedaris and I went to see him live... he recommended some books to read and then I found this collection he compiled. I am not a huge fan of short stories. I like them only if the story completes itself and isn't all about symbolism and themes. A few stories I loved and some I couldn't get into (... borderline hated). If you like short stories, David Sedaris is a great author with excellent taste and I am sure this compilation will not disappoint. If not, go into it realizing it's w...more
This wonderful collection of favorite short fiction chosen by Sedaris is like working one's way through a recommended reading list of short stories, especially helpful for novice short story readers. It's a great mix of styles and eras and authors. After reading this, I now know I want to read more by Joyce Carol Oates, Jincy Willet (never heard of her before), Lorrie Moore (I didn't know she teaches at Wisconsin: look for Wisconsin places in the included story!), Tobias Wolfe and of course, Cha...more
I am very happy that I borrowed this book.
Although the proceeds go to 826nyc, and that is good, the book itself is a waste of time.
The stories within are either ones I have read many times before (i.e."Revelation" Flannery O'Connor*) or are stories that made my eyes contort from boredom (i.e. "The Garden Party" Katherine Mansfield).
Sarah Vowell's epilogue explaining 826nyc is so poorly constructed I closed the book after 3 sentences.
*I really like O'Connor, but I was hoping for authors who ar...more
Although the proceeds go to 826nyc, and that is good, the book itself is a waste of time.
The stories within are either ones I have read many times before (i.e."Revelation" Flannery O'Connor*) or are stories that made my eyes contort from boredom (i.e. "The Garden Party" Katherine Mansfield).
Sarah Vowell's epilogue explaining 826nyc is so poorly constructed I closed the book after 3 sentences.
*I really like O'Connor, but I was hoping for authors who ar...more
(FROM JACKET)"Children Playing Before a Statue of Hercules" is a collection of short stories-some classic, others impending-selected and introduced by David Sedaris. Within these covers a careful reader can discover the truth about loneliness, hope, love, betrayal, and certain, but not all, monkeys.
The writers include:JHUMPA LAHIRI-ALICE MUNRO-LORRIE MOOERE-RICHARD YATES-CHARLES BAXTER-KATHERINE MANSFIELD-JEAN THOMPSON-FRANK GANNON-PATRICIA HIGHSMITH-JINCY WILLETT-DOROTHY PARKER-JOYCE CAROL OAT...more
The writers include:JHUMPA LAHIRI-ALICE MUNRO-LORRIE MOOERE-RICHARD YATES-CHARLES BAXTER-KATHERINE MANSFIELD-JEAN THOMPSON-FRANK GANNON-PATRICIA HIGHSMITH-JINCY WILLETT-DOROTHY PARKER-JOYCE CAROL OAT...more
Olivia gave me this as an audio book. It has a boring intrduction by David S. and then four short stories read by different people. I am not sure why David Sedaris felt compelled to read one--his nasel, scratchy voice is kind of annoying. I don't have the authors in front of me. The best was "The welcome mat is always out" or something like that. By Patricia Highsmith. About a woman in New York meeting her sister who is just passing through the city. The other titles elude me. One was about a lo...more
Some of David Sedaris' edited favorite selected short stories were appealing (Katherine Mansfield's Garden Party for instance, and Lorrie Moore's People Like That are the Only People Here: Canonical Babbling in Peed Onk). Others I found very disturbing, like Joyce Carol Oates' The Girl with the Blackened Eye....clearly Sedaris is attracted to the same disturbing themes of shame and pain he deals with in his own works, but at least his works are leavened with a kind of sardonic humor. Most of the...more
Favorite stories were Best of Betty (Jincy Willett), The Cemetery Where Al Jolson is Buried (Amy Hempel) and Half A Grapefruit (Alice Munro). All had an off the wall humor that is too clever to see coming. Revelation (Flannery O'Connor) is stellar, and I suspect that all work has the feeling of being so realistic that it becomes real, plain to see, rather than a reflection of real. A Bullet in the Brain (Tobias Wolfe) is exactly how I daydream, mixing heady thoughts and memories with excruciatin...more
This is a motley collection of short stories, and my only wish is that Sedaris had shed a little insight in the introduction into what he liked about each of the stories or why he picked them. It's hard to judge such a disparate collection, but I really liked his picks - particularly the stories by Jhumpa Lahiri, Jincy Willett (new to me), and Amy Hempel.
The stories may be fab, but I am rating it based on my own faulty expectation that there would be laughter, joy, that sort of thing. Even when telling a maudlin, uncomfortable, or tragic tale, Sedaris can squeeze some humor or goodness out of it. This is his gift. The first story I read, the hippie teacher one, I liked. Then came the Jhumpa Lahiri story that hit me with shock and pain just as deeply as it did when I first read it. Like a kick in the gut. A gorgeous, devastating kick in the gut....more
it was good. i don't really feel like writing a review because this app that i've grown to love is going to be deleted soon and there isn't another that is as easy and as awesome to use. so my reviews will now go directly to my word processor which in a way is good cause then i'll actually be forced to make them grammatically correct. they'll be a lot less fun though. oh well. this was one of the best collection of short stories i've read in long time. it's funny cause even though sedaris didn't...more
This anthology, edited by David Sedaris, contains in a nutshell everything I love and hate about short stories, as well as several fine examples of why I dislike most contemporary fiction. Here are the authors, and what I thought of their stories:
Richard Yates: good, depressing
Charles Baxter: great
Jhumpa Lahiri: good, depressing
Katharine Mansfield: great
Alice Munro: good
Jean Thompson: okay
Frank Garson: good
Patricia Highsmith: great
Jincy Willett: great at first, bad ending
Dorothy Parker: great
Joy...more
Richard Yates: good, depressing
Charles Baxter: great
Jhumpa Lahiri: good, depressing
Katharine Mansfield: great
Alice Munro: good
Jean Thompson: okay
Frank Garson: good
Patricia Highsmith: great
Jincy Willett: great at first, bad ending
Dorothy Parker: great
Joy...more
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David Sedaris is a Grammy Award-nominated American humorist and radio contributor.
Sedaris came to prominence in 1992 when National Public Radio broadcast his essay "SantaLand Diaries." He published his first collection of essays and short stories, Barrel Fever, in 1994. Each of his four subsequent essay collections, Naked (1997), Holidays on Ice (1997), Me Talk Pretty One Day (2000), Dress Your Fa...more
More about David Sedaris...
Sedaris came to prominence in 1992 when National Public Radio broadcast his essay "SantaLand Diaries." He published his first collection of essays and short stories, Barrel Fever, in 1994. Each of his four subsequent essay collections, Naked (1997), Holidays on Ice (1997), Me Talk Pretty One Day (2000), Dress Your Fa...more
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Feb 12, 2009 11:21am