A Season with Eros

by Stan Barstow

Excellent collection of 14 short stories (14) by the popular Yorkshire author of 'A Kind of Loving'. The stories include the title story plus Twenty Pieces of silver, Principle, Closing Time, Holroyd's Last Stand, Waiting and A Bit of a Commotion. Barstow was a good writer, and true to the tradions of his West Riding roots. Some editions of this book tied in with an ITV series The Cost of Loving.

Genres: Short Stories

190 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1971

About the author

See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stan_Bar...

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-discovering Barstow has taken me back into my own past as well as his - not just into cosy nostalgia but into some uncomfortable places, from which I emerge thinking :"There but for the grace ...". In this series of short stories I again came across parallels with my own life, more than once. I am increasingly intrigued in the short story as a literary vehicle. Barstow's Eros collection is superb.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

8/10

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

As ever this spoke to me of familiar times and attitudes. The constrictions of society, convention, and the struggle of knowing how to be. Many of the stories bittersweet, knowing they'd end badly , while others surprised and warmed. A book to pick up and re-read often.

[Carl Smith-owens]

1999

[Bill Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

It had been lying around the house for some time, I don't think it was mine. Curiosity made me pick it up and start to read the first story. I was surprised by the writing and how much I enjoyed the story. So onto another and then another. I took my time as these were little jewels, cameos of life in the North in the 1950/60s. Being from 'the North' and living in West Yorkshire, there was a strong appeal. Barstow writes well: quickly creating a strong sense of character and conflict; relationships forming and collapsing; hopes and dreams fulfilled or broken. I recognised myself, or bits of myself, in some of the stories, certainly friends and family from growing up. It was someway comforting, reassuring and celebratory of life lived in a world of clarity and community, culminating in a final tale that shows an ambition and a life beyond. I will certainly return to read more of Stan Barstow.

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

A variety of interesting stories although I did not like all the subject matter. I'm not interested in teenage hooligans with loose morals. On the other hand, some stories were moving and sensitively written.

[Luke John · Rating 5 out of 5]

More snapshots of life from a master of the craft, the characters well drawn and the prose deft and spare in its style. A joy from cover to cover.

[Jonathan Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another brilliant collection of short stories