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Extra-Curricular
Marc Nash's fifth collection of flash fiction and his most daring and innovative yet. Tales of Military Bands, Flea Circuses, Dying Languages, Witch Trials, Drones, Gumshoes, Bedroom Physics, Death Squads, Blind Lovers, Junky Angels, Poker Tics, Thermal Imaging Voyeurism, Recycling Etiquette, Plastic Surgery Zombies... 44 tales they didn't teach you at school but should have been on the curriculum.
- GenresShort Stories
129 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 12, 2015
3 people want to read
About the author
Marc Nash
18 books467 followers1) WORDS – voice
2) WORDS – communing
3) WORDS – emotional intelligence
4) WORDS – identity
5) WORDS – metaphor
6) WORDS – origins
7) WORDS – Origins
viii) WORDS – ideas
9) WORDS – alchemy
10)WORDS – trove
11)WORDS – meaning
12)WORDS – ambiguity
13)WORDS – stricture
14)WORDS – porousness
15)WORDS – vapour trails
16)WORDS – lyricism
17)WORDS – Being
18)WORDS – metastasis
19)WORDS – play
20)WORDS – inoculation against mortality
20 years in the counterculture working at Rough Trade Record Shop, now working in freedom of expression NGO world. I hope my books are more than just the sum of the above. I used to be a playwright, but then started writing more for dancers and physical theatre performers. I like a challenge and I like to move out of my comfort zone. Now I’m a novelist and am writing more ‘voice’ than I ever did as a playwright. Go figure!
My Booktube review site: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmpw...
2) WORDS – communing
3) WORDS – emotional intelligence
4) WORDS – identity
5) WORDS – metaphor
6) WORDS – origins
7) WORDS – Origins
viii) WORDS – ideas
9) WORDS – alchemy
10)WORDS – trove
11)WORDS – meaning
12)WORDS – ambiguity
13)WORDS – stricture
14)WORDS – porousness
15)WORDS – vapour trails
16)WORDS – lyricism
17)WORDS – Being
18)WORDS – metastasis
19)WORDS – play
20)WORDS – inoculation against mortality
20 years in the counterculture working at Rough Trade Record Shop, now working in freedom of expression NGO world. I hope my books are more than just the sum of the above. I used to be a playwright, but then started writing more for dancers and physical theatre performers. I like a challenge and I like to move out of my comfort zone. Now I’m a novelist and am writing more ‘voice’ than I ever did as a playwright. Go figure!
My Booktube review site: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmpw...
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 23, 2016
I've recently begun reading flash fiction and have discovered some that I really like, that in a concise, though not unartistic, manner create atmosphere, character, story, mood. They are complete and often wonderful. Mr Nash's stories, however, seem wide of that mark. Often more lengthy than I find effective, often full of impenetrable language, they are organized as if following some sort of educational curriculum, under headings for art, physics, extracurricular, etc. Some of the stories fit their categories in obvious ways but, for me, most did not.
The shorter the better with flash fiction. In the second half of this collection, I found several that were far more successful, in my opinion, than most of what came before. Some I really liked. Nash finally removed that detachment which had lost me and prevented me from engaging in many of his other stories. He also found his edge--providing sharper endings--and became more precise.
As I wrote in a review for another collection of flash fiction, I do believe there may be disagreement about what is good and what is skilled in flash fiction. But the important factor is for the story to grab the reader---and to do it quickly. Sadly most of these stories did not do so for me. Those that did grab me, did their job well (Crowd Sauced, In Triplicate, Laundry Lists, Confirmament, Disbanded, Zombie). All in all, though these are outweighed in a collection of 50 stories.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
The shorter the better with flash fiction. In the second half of this collection, I found several that were far more successful, in my opinion, than most of what came before. Some I really liked. Nash finally removed that detachment which had lost me and prevented me from engaging in many of his other stories. He also found his edge--providing sharper endings--and became more precise.
As I wrote in a review for another collection of flash fiction, I do believe there may be disagreement about what is good and what is skilled in flash fiction. But the important factor is for the story to grab the reader---and to do it quickly. Sadly most of these stories did not do so for me. Those that did grab me, did their job well (Crowd Sauced, In Triplicate, Laundry Lists, Confirmament, Disbanded, Zombie). All in all, though these are outweighed in a collection of 50 stories.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
March 24, 2016
EXTRA CURRICULAR by Marc Nash just about blew my mind, especially with one story about a funeral and how things got twisted from one situation to another. A very complex book. What makes Nash's stories so unique is the way you have to think outside the box, so to speak. Nash kept knocking the reasoning back and forth to the reader like a ping-pong ball, leaving the reader to study more on the story and how it might have come about in the author's mind, than onto paper. Deeper isn't the word that comes to mind. Nash's stories seem to go down into the abyss or into a deep void, then the reader has to reach inside the gray matter and really think about what has been read in order to pull out the true meaning; or could there be more than one meaning? The man sure does make the reader put things into an all together different perspective. A different kind of read, but enjoyable.
April 21, 2016
‘Extra-Curricular’ is Marc Nash’s fifth collection of flash fiction. Marketed by DigiWriting, very few of the pieces of flash fiction have been previously published.
This is the first time I’ve ever read a collection of flash fiction, so unfortunately I’m not really able to compare it to other anthologies. However, I’m definitely interested in reading more in this genre, so I’ll hopefully be in a better position to comment for my next foray into flash fiction!
The collection is organised into different school subjects (including extra-curricular), each subject containing a few entries of flash fiction. I thought that the links between the stories and the entries became increasingly clear as the book went on. I became increasingly intrigued as the book went on – I’m not sure whether this is because I thought the links were better, or because I had just come to terms with the flash fiction. However, if you pick this up and are put off by the first few subjects, stick with it. They get much, much better.
The stories are alternately dystopian, fantastical, and in particular with the sciences, still grounded in reality. There are a couple that are structurally experimental, which was helpful in breaking them up into separate pieces, rather than allowing them to all flow together. My favourites were those that used the most magical realism, as medicine and magic are often combined. As a humanities student, it really tickles me that my lack of understanding of the sciences can be advantageous, as the latinate names already sound fantastical to me. Nash just takes this even further.
I wish there was slightly more variation in the length of the stories. I know that flash fiction is very strict in its word count, but variation would have allowed certain stories to stand out a little bit more, and would allow more world-building, which I would have absolutely loved to see. This book is filled to the brim with sheer innovation, and I just wanted to see more! That is, until I got near to the end. Unfortunately, I think it had a rather weak conclusion. The theme of waiting for ‘Broads, Frails and Stiffs’ is rather fitting, but I just didn’t get on with the last few pieces, which was a shame, because I thought the Extra-Curricular section was very strong.
In conclusion, I would definitely pick this up if you like flash fiction. Personally, I was very intrigued by it, and will certainly continue my foray into that genre. Whether this was the greatest introduction to it, I’m not sure, but I certainly haven’t regretted my time with ‘Extra-Curricular’ at all.
This is the first time I’ve ever read a collection of flash fiction, so unfortunately I’m not really able to compare it to other anthologies. However, I’m definitely interested in reading more in this genre, so I’ll hopefully be in a better position to comment for my next foray into flash fiction!
The collection is organised into different school subjects (including extra-curricular), each subject containing a few entries of flash fiction. I thought that the links between the stories and the entries became increasingly clear as the book went on. I became increasingly intrigued as the book went on – I’m not sure whether this is because I thought the links were better, or because I had just come to terms with the flash fiction. However, if you pick this up and are put off by the first few subjects, stick with it. They get much, much better.
The stories are alternately dystopian, fantastical, and in particular with the sciences, still grounded in reality. There are a couple that are structurally experimental, which was helpful in breaking them up into separate pieces, rather than allowing them to all flow together. My favourites were those that used the most magical realism, as medicine and magic are often combined. As a humanities student, it really tickles me that my lack of understanding of the sciences can be advantageous, as the latinate names already sound fantastical to me. Nash just takes this even further.
I wish there was slightly more variation in the length of the stories. I know that flash fiction is very strict in its word count, but variation would have allowed certain stories to stand out a little bit more, and would allow more world-building, which I would have absolutely loved to see. This book is filled to the brim with sheer innovation, and I just wanted to see more! That is, until I got near to the end. Unfortunately, I think it had a rather weak conclusion. The theme of waiting for ‘Broads, Frails and Stiffs’ is rather fitting, but I just didn’t get on with the last few pieces, which was a shame, because I thought the Extra-Curricular section was very strong.
In conclusion, I would definitely pick this up if you like flash fiction. Personally, I was very intrigued by it, and will certainly continue my foray into that genre. Whether this was the greatest introduction to it, I’m not sure, but I certainly haven’t regretted my time with ‘Extra-Curricular’ at all.
April 9, 2016
Title: Extra-Curricular: Tales Told Out of School
Author: Marc Nash
Rating: 3/5
This is a collection of short stories/flash fiction with the theme of school subjects. The characters aren't recurrent, and the stories aren't related to school per se, but rather subjects like physics, biology, philosophy, languages, etc.
Overall, I liked it! Marc Nash has reminded me why these kinds of books are fun to pick up once in a while. They are just the right length to read whenever you have a few minutes to spare. I'll be perfectly honest -- it was the first time I read actual flash fiction, and I didn't hate it. That being said, it's not a book you pick up to do some light reading. These are stories you need to focus on to get the most out of them, so do yourself a favour and only pick up the book when you can take the time to digest what you've read.
Strengths: some stories made me hold my breath, some made me smile, one in particular made me cry. The endings are very strong (as they should be in any kind of literature, but most importantly, short stories) and many of the stories' punch line at the end made me go "Wow".
Weaknesses: to be perfectly honest, some of the language was just too technical for me to get into the story. I've skipped a few of them because I was halfway through it and could barely wrap my head around what was happening, and it lost the coherence it could have had.
I would like to thank DigiWriting for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I would recommend this book to individuals who are interested in trying out complex flash fiction.
Author: Marc Nash
Rating: 3/5
This is a collection of short stories/flash fiction with the theme of school subjects. The characters aren't recurrent, and the stories aren't related to school per se, but rather subjects like physics, biology, philosophy, languages, etc.
Overall, I liked it! Marc Nash has reminded me why these kinds of books are fun to pick up once in a while. They are just the right length to read whenever you have a few minutes to spare. I'll be perfectly honest -- it was the first time I read actual flash fiction, and I didn't hate it. That being said, it's not a book you pick up to do some light reading. These are stories you need to focus on to get the most out of them, so do yourself a favour and only pick up the book when you can take the time to digest what you've read.
Strengths: some stories made me hold my breath, some made me smile, one in particular made me cry. The endings are very strong (as they should be in any kind of literature, but most importantly, short stories) and many of the stories' punch line at the end made me go "Wow".
Weaknesses: to be perfectly honest, some of the language was just too technical for me to get into the story. I've skipped a few of them because I was halfway through it and could barely wrap my head around what was happening, and it lost the coherence it could have had.
I would like to thank DigiWriting for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I would recommend this book to individuals who are interested in trying out complex flash fiction.
March 16, 2016
An interesting collection of flash fiction (ie short stories) from Marc Nash, arranged by school curriculum subjects. As I find with most short story collections, there are hits and misses. Two tales stood head and shoulders above the masses gathered here - Echoes and The Disenchanted Forest, although as both are imbued with death and devastation, that could say more about me than the author!
At its worst, it's an impenetrable sea of words, leaving me feeling like I did when I tried to read some of the more extreme tales in 'Interviews with Hideous Men' by David Foster Wallace, where you get so lost in the words that it loses any narrative meaning.
By the time I reach the end of the collection, I felt the same way I did when I finished school - some nice memories, but somewhat outweighed by the relief that it was all over.
At its worst, it's an impenetrable sea of words, leaving me feeling like I did when I tried to read some of the more extreme tales in 'Interviews with Hideous Men' by David Foster Wallace, where you get so lost in the words that it loses any narrative meaning.
By the time I reach the end of the collection, I felt the same way I did when I finished school - some nice memories, but somewhat outweighed by the relief that it was all over.
September 19, 2015
Originally posted on: http://wp.me/p4Dssh-MW
I've been lucky enough to interview Marc Nash on my blog in the past and his sense of humour was brilliant. When this collection of 44 short stories was released, I knew I had to have it! I wasn't disappointed.
I absolutely loved this collection. It was such a fun and clever read! Nash's creativity shines through as this collection deals with just about every school subject imaginable but definitely not the way that they were taught in school! It's difficult to name a favourite as I enjoyed them all!
I honestly cannot recommend this book more highly! Grab a copy now!
I've been lucky enough to interview Marc Nash on my blog in the past and his sense of humour was brilliant. When this collection of 44 short stories was released, I knew I had to have it! I wasn't disappointed.
I absolutely loved this collection. It was such a fun and clever read! Nash's creativity shines through as this collection deals with just about every school subject imaginable but definitely not the way that they were taught in school! It's difficult to name a favourite as I enjoyed them all!
I honestly cannot recommend this book more highly! Grab a copy now!
March 13, 2016
I loved some of the stories, I liked most, I hated none. So, 4/5.
Most of the stories were good in one aspect or another. This is a collection of flash fiction, so none of the stories are long enough to actually be boring, yet you can still be not intrigued enough. Still, I liked the endings of those, so I can't complain. Marc Nash has an interesting way of thinking. I mean it in a good way.
The list of the stories I liked or loved:
Physics: Night Vision,
Psychology: Group Therapy
Logic/Philosophy: A Moment in Time
Languages: Bye Bye Lingual
Extra-Curricular (Yes, there is a big gap here): An Ideal Woman, Echoes, Trading Places, Clutch, Johnny Smoke, Subjectify
Most of the stories were good in one aspect or another. This is a collection of flash fiction, so none of the stories are long enough to actually be boring, yet you can still be not intrigued enough. Still, I liked the endings of those, so I can't complain. Marc Nash has an interesting way of thinking. I mean it in a good way.
The list of the stories I liked or loved:
Physics: Night Vision,
Psychology: Group Therapy
Logic/Philosophy: A Moment in Time
Languages: Bye Bye Lingual
Extra-Curricular (Yes, there is a big gap here): An Ideal Woman, Echoes, Trading Places, Clutch, Johnny Smoke, Subjectify
April 28, 2016
I love good anthologies or as they call them now 'flash fiction'. This is such a great example. Yes, you will find some of the stories to be not to your liking and others will surprise you with the end. Some may even make you shed a few tears. The writing can be a little much sometimes and overwhelming, lacking a smooth flow. This however didn't deter me from continuing. It's a perfect book to sit and read before bed or when you only have a few moments or between books in a big series. Definitely a fun read for any occasion.
March 3, 2016
I received this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was an interesting premise for a short story (flash) collection - organized by subject matter into classes. However, I didn't care for a lot of the stories or didn't really connect with them. My favorite 'classes' or sections were probably psychology and languages. I especially disliked the 'extracurricular' section. This collection was alright, but I wouldn't recommend that you run out to get it.
This was an interesting premise for a short story (flash) collection - organized by subject matter into classes. However, I didn't care for a lot of the stories or didn't really connect with them. My favorite 'classes' or sections were probably psychology and languages. I especially disliked the 'extracurricular' section. This collection was alright, but I wouldn't recommend that you run out to get it.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews