Crimson ramblers of the world, farewell

by Jessamyn West

Not since 1955, with the publication of Love, Death, and the Ladies’ Drill Team, has a volume of Jessamyn West’s independent short stories appeared. It is cause for celebration that this distinguished writer has now chosen sixteen stories for a new collection.

The variety contained in this volume is breathtaking: a tale of suspense, a romantic idyll, a touch of the supernatural, a young man’s pursuit of a lost love, a joyous narrative in the Canadian wilderness, a chilling psychological portrait of sexual torment—these are the merest clues to the content.

Jessamyn West rings changes on time, swiftly and effortlessly ranging from past centuries to the very present. Her characters represent a staggering sweep of personalities and moods. And her thematic concerns span a breadth of experience from the bite of tragedy to the balm of joy.

Her mission, story by story, is to capture some crystallized moments of existence. Her achievement, taken totally, is a majestic spectrum of living, an absorbing, haunting, and rewarding experience that reinforces her reputation as one of our leading writers.

Genres: Fiction

247 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1970

About the author

Mary Jessamyn West was an American Quaker (originally from Indiana) who wrote numerous stories and novels, notably The Friendly Persuasion (1945).

Reviews

[Patricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting collection of short stories by West. Widely varied topics and levels of artistry. Glad I read it to get a better picture of her talent, but not anything I would repeat. Think I’ll stick to her novels instead.