Add a Dash of Pity

by Peter Ustinov

Peter Ustinov was revered as one of the world's truly legendary entertainers. As an actor, producer, director, novelist, playwright, and columnist, his body of work was not only vast and thoroughly impressive, but enduring. Add a Dash of Pity, a superb collection of short stories, shows Sir Peter at his narrative, perceptive best.

Ustinov possessed the uncommon ability to amuse and touch readers simultaneously, a talent which has nowhere been better displayed than in this fascinating array of short stories, which includes: "The Man Who Took It Easy," "The Wingless Icarus," "The Man in the Moon," "A Place in the Shade," "A Word in the World's Ear," "There Are 43,200 Seconds in a Day," "The Aftertaste," and the title piece, "Add a Dash of Pity."

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, British Literature, Classics

205 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1958

About the author

Sir Peter Alexander Ustinov, CBE, was a English actor, writer and dramatist.

He was also renowned as a filmmaker, theatre and opera director, director, stage designer, screenwriter, comedian, humorist, newspaper and magazine columnist, radio broadcaster and television presenter.

A noted wit and raconteur, he was, for much of his career, a fixture on television talk shows and lecture circuits, as well as a respected intellectual and diplomat who, in addition to his various academic posts, served as a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF and President of the World Federalist Movement.

Ustinov was the winner of numerous awards over his life, including Academy Awards, Emmy Awards, Golden Globes and BAFTA Awards, as well the recipient of governmental honours from, amongst others, the United Kingdom, France and Germany. He displayed a unique cultural versatility that has frequently earned him the accolade of a Renaissance Man.

Reviews

[Daphne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite simply amazing. What a cast of characters.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

These short stories are so brilliantly written, that you really forget, they are half a century old. Sir Peter Ustinov was the last true renaissance man.

His witty, insightful, smart and very dark humorous looks at the world and its nonsense are amazing. His understanding of the mechanisms in politics and history are perceptible in every short.

The only reason for not rating it 5 stars, is that I haven't read it in 10 years.

[Svetlana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Про военного историка-журналиста, который случайно наткнулся на один эпизод в войне, когда столкнулись два военных – один из них смелый и т.п., а второй – трус и т.д.

Трус написал книгу и выставил себя суперменом, а второго, храброго – пьяницей, который не подчинялся приказом. А журналист встретился со всеми сторонами (в том числе и с немцами) и выяснил, что все было наоборот, и "пьяница" - храбрец ))

И все же он решил не трясти старое, и оставить все как есть. Потому как у храбреца «достаточно широкие плечи, чтобы нести это бремя, а у Крауди – нет». В общем, храбрец посоветовал журналисту завести детей и добавить немного жалости в свои статьи… Чем, журналист в скором времени и занялся ))

Может быть и не особо интересный сюжет, но написано очень хорошо – очень проникновенно передаются настроения героев – какой-то жалобный рассказ...

[Silvia Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an Actor Mr. Ustinov was marvellous! As a writer he has such a perception of Human character his observations are amazing and sometimes very amusing!

[Harriet · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2. Sort of a mish mash of ideas. Not up to his normal level.

[Chana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book of short stories that are written with great wit and intelligence. They are also remarkable in that they are strangely current for stories written in the 1950's. What I mean by that is that he is very good at capturing and relating timeless ideas in regards to war, politics, psychology, courts, and family relationships. Although I found the first couple of stories rather incomprehensible and thought I wouldn't enjoy the book, but as I continued to read Add a Dash of Pity I was beginning to catch on to his writing style and to understand his witticisms. His endings were often, if not always, depressing, but all in all I found it enjoyable to immerse my mind in the clever stories of this author.

[Astraia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant

[R.W. Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is recommended reading by Edith Ronald Mirrielees' Story Writing for Ustinov's impressive ability to create characters.

[Athena · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bored beyond belief