New Women and New Fiction: Short Stories Since the Sixties

by Susan Cahill

A collection of short stories since the sixties by women authors such as Ann Beatty, Mary Robison, Jean Thomson, Lorrie Moore.

Genres: Fiction, Anthologies

271 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published June 4, 1986

About the author

SUSAN CAHILL has published several travel books on France, Italy, and Ireland, including Sacred Paris, Hidden Gardens of Paris and The Streets of Paris. She is the editor of the bestselling Women and Fiction series and author of the novel Earth Angels. She spends a few months in Paris every year. MARION RANOUX, a native Parisienne, is an experienced freelance photographer and translator into French of Czech literature.

Reviews

[Kristy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sometimes dated, but still worthwhile collection of short stories by women from the mid-1980s. Some big names (Bobbie Ann Mason, Toni Cade Bambera, Anne Tyler, Lorrie Moore) and several new-to-me authors. My favorites include Mason's "Shiloh," Ella Leffland's "Last Courtesies," and Bette Pesetsky's "A Walker's Manual." 1986 doesn't seem that long ago, but the introduction and author biographies over-emphasis on the literary powers of women are remarkable for their out-of-placeness today, which is probably a good thing.

[Michael Louis Dixon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great anthology by Susan Cahill. There we some absolutely amazing stories in this book.

[Jeff Hobbs]

Read so far:

The shawl / Cynthia Ozick --4
*Last courtesies / Ella Leffland --
Days of awe / Joanne Greenberg --
A walker's manual / Bette Pesetsky --
Grow old along with me, the best is yet to be / Penelope Lively --2
*Alopecia / Fay Weldon --
Victory over Japan / Ellen Gilchrist --3
Fear / Sallie Bingham --
Games at twilight / Anita Desai --2
*My man Bovanne / Toni Cade Bambara --
Shiloh / Bobbie Anne Mason --4
*Teenage wasteland / Anne Tyler --
Faith / Ellen Wilbur --
The lone pilgrim / Laurie Colwin --3
Taking care / Joy Williams --2
*It's just another day in Big Bear, California / Ann Beattie --
*I am twenty-one / Mary Robison --
Applause, applause / Jean Thompson --
Beg, sl tog, inc, cont, rep / Amy Hempel --2
*Home / Jayne Anne Phillips --
*How to become a writer / Lorrie Moore--

[Kesia Alexandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found this book at at Thrift store for 25cents and I'm so glad I did. It introduced me to several women's writers I was not previously familiar with. It seems a good spread of American women's from the period. Would recommend it to anyone who loves short fiction

[Lucas]

Favorite stories: "A Walker's Manual," "Grow Old Along With Me, The Best is Yet to Be," "Alopecia," "Shiloh," "Teenage Wasteland," "Taking Care," "How to Become a Writer"

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full title "New women New Fiction Short Stories Since the Sixties"