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Short Novels of the Masters
Ten classic short novels appear in this collection by noted editor Neider. The contents include: Benito Cereno by Herman Melville, Notes from Underground by F. M. Dostoyevsky, A Simple Heart by Gustave Flaubert, The Death of Ivan Ilych by L. N. Tolstoy, The Aspern Papers by Henry James, Ward No. 6 by A. P. Chekhov, Death in Venice by Thomas Mann, The Dead by James Joyce (recently made into a musical), The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, and The Fox by D. H. Lawrence. In the introduction, Neider discusses the themes that arise in several of the novels, grouping them by more than just their greatness.
648 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1901
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About the author
Charles Neider
101 books5 followersCharles Neider was an American writer, known for editing the Autobiography of Mark Twain and authoring literary impressions of Antarctica.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 16, 2021
I picked this up at a yard sale some time ago. I’ve always liked reading shorter works by well-known authors. This volume contains ten stories, largely by writers who were literary contemporaries, or at least influences upon each other. My impression is that this is a graduate-level textbook in English; my copy had numerous underlines and marginalia. The book has a fifty-plus-page introduction by the editor, Charles Neidir (mostly known as a Mark Twain scholar), describing the general tenor of the time period (mid-1800s through the early 20th Century). In addition, he has short biographical descriptions of the individual authors and their relationships/friendships and mutual influences, as well as analyses of the stories and some of the background behind them., I read each of these biographical sections before reading the stories. I should mention that two of these stories, “Notes from Underground,” by Feodor Dostoyevsky (1864) and “Ward No. 6,” by Anton Chekhov (1892) are included in a previously-reviewed book, “16 Short Novels,” and will not be included here.
1. “Benito Cereno,” by Herman Melville (1852) is, like “Moby Dick,” a seafaring story, replete with nautical terms and descriptions of conditions aboard ship and of the sea. It is based on a true incident regarding a slave revolt and taking over the ship transporting them (similar to the film “Amistad”), and is set in 1799. Amasa Delano, captain of the merchant ship “Bachelor’s Delight,” encounters a Spanish slave ship off the coast of Chile, captained by the titular Benito Cereno. Cereno informs Delano that the ship is in distress as a storm has killed off most of the crew (including the slaves’ owner) and some of the slaves aboard. Delano notices that Cereno appears to use lax discipline on the slaves. Indeed, Cereno’s servant Babo appears to be the more dominant of the two. Delano comes to realize that the slaves have in fact killed their owner and have taken over the ship and coerced Cereno and the remaining crew to act as servants. There are discussions between the captains regarding the nature of the Negro and the inadvisability of mixing Negro with White (or Spanish or South American) blood, and describing Blacks as natural valets and other subservient roles. This story has more action, as such, than the rest of the stories in this collection, but delves deeply into contemporary prevailing racial attitudes amongst Americans and Europeans. Disturbing on several levels, but intriguing. While I couldn’t find any movie adaptations, there was a play, “The Old Glory: Benito Cereno,” written by poet Robert Lowell, starring Frank Langella and Roscoe Lee Browne, which was adapted for a TV play on “NET Playhouse,” March 24, 1967. It does not appear to be available for viewing. Would’ve liked to have seen those two in these roles.
2. “A Simple Heart,” by Gustave Flaubert (1877) is described by Mr. Neidir as based upon Flaubert’s rural youth. It tells the story of Felicite Barrette, a good-hearted servant of Mme. Aubain, who has been left impecunious by the death of her husband. Mme. Aubain is close to her children, Paul and Virginie, and has sold her house and moved to a more modest dwelling in a small town, Pont L’Eveque. Felicite’s history is no less tragic, having lost her parents and separated from her two sisters. When she reaches majority, Felicite meets and falls in love with a man who she finds out has avoided military service, and who upstartedly marries a rich woman to avoid the draft. Felicite is heartbroken and makes her way to Pont L’Eveque, where she is hired by Mme. Aubert as a servant/cook. The story leads the reader through a number of tragedies, including Paul’s becoming a ne’er-do-well, several deaths, an accidental meeting with one of her sisters, and Mme Aubain fighting poverty and ruin. Through all this, Felicite is generous with her support, empathy and money, sometimes to those who are not at all grateful. She receives a pet parrot from one of her benefactors, with whom she maintains a very strong bond, even through Felicite’s death. I was wrung out after finishing this story, as the poor soul never seemed to catch a break and was the victim of her own empathy. I swear, M. Flaubert must have a connection to Thomas Hardy. I could find only one movie adaptation, “Un Couer Simple,” French, 2009, but could not find it on any streaming services or the Library.
3. “The Death of Ivan Ilyich,” by Leo Tolstoy (1885), tells of a well-regarded high court judge who is dying and evaluating his life, which at age 45, he feels is unfair, as he has lived a good life, as if his disease were a punishment. Ivan’s wife, Praskovya, is very self-absorbed and has no empathy with his, as it does not concern her. Same with his two grown children, Vasia and Lisa. Same, actually, with his two closest friends from his law office, Fedor and Peter, who even interrupt Ivan’s funeral in order to play Bridge. Ivan comes to realize that he has deluded himself, and that his success (which had taken him away from his family) had come at a cost and sacrifice. Thus, his life is worth than death, which he comes to welcome. Indeed, Ivan’s sole comforter is his servant, Gerasim, who is not afraid of death and offers to help Ivan come to terms with his issues. This story consists almost entirely of internal dialogue and becomes quite philosophical at times. It’s a bit plodding to get through, but well worth it. I was surprised to find only three movie adaptations; “A Simple Death” (1982), “Ivans Xtc” (2000, about a talent agent battling cancer) and “Ikiru” (“To Live,” Japanese, 1952). The last was the only one I could find. It is directed by Akira Kurosawa (“Seven Samurai”), who was influenced by both Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky. It tells of Kanji Watanabe, a mid-level bureaucrat in post-WWII Japan. He has stomach cancer and knows he will die soon. His wife is dead and he is alienated from his materialistic. Watanabe sees his life as empty and meaningless, but in contrast to Tolstoy’s story, he comes to have a purpose and thus redemption. “Ikiru” is also a social commentary on both the changes in general Japanese culture as a result of the American Occupation, and the unsaid rules of bureaucracy, “Show up on time, don’t take any time off, do nothing.” The DVD came with a commentary as well as two documentaries, one on Kurosawa and the other on the making of ‘Ikiro.” There are also two printed critiques of the movie. I would strongly recommend this movie, on its own merits as well as an adaptation of “The Death of Ivan Ilyich.”
4. “The Aspern Papers,” by Henry James (1888). The deceased title character was a well-known poet, who has reportedly left a number of his letters to his lover, Juliana Bordreau, who with her niece Tina runs a boardinghouse in Venice. The narrator, a literary critic, is obsessed with these letters and wishes to view and, if possible, own them. To that end, he lets a room, with the intent to court Tina and thereby gain access to the letters, which Tina claims don’t exist. The remainder of the story involves the narrator’s attempt to seek Juliana’s letters and thereafter what happens to the characters, as well as the letters themselves. Rather slow-moving, and mostly a character study, as befits Mr. James, but at least marginally interesting. I was able to find the most recent (2018) adaptation on Amazon Prime. In this version, the narrator is given a name, Monsieur Vint, played by Jonathan Ruys-Myers. Juliana is portrayed by Vanessa Redgrave and Tina by Joley Richardson, whose performance was my favorite. Also, the literary off-stage Aspern makes a brief appearance (which I felt helps flesh out the story. Mr. Rhys-Myers himself appears rather bored throughout his performance, and the movie moves at only a slightly faster pace than the story, not my favorite of the bunch.
5. “Death in Venice,” by Thomas Mann (1912). So we go from a story about a dead poet set in Venice to that of a man dying in Venice. Gustave von Aschenbach, a successful writer, has visited Venice a number of times previously, but this may be his last. While at his hotel, he encounters a Polish family, with the oldest child being Tadzio, a boy of 14, to whom Gustave is attracted, first in the “classic beauty” artistic sense, and subsequently in an increasingly sexualized manner. While the two do acknowledge each other at several points, they never speak or touch. Gustave also becomes aware of a possible cholera outbreak, well covered up and denied by the government, thus making the title of the story have two meanings. The ending is tragic, but not surprising. This story was adapted into a 1971 movie starring Dirk Benedict, in a tensely understated performance. The film follows the book quite accurately. Although it drags at times, it is more than made up for by the gorgeous cinematography, especially during the scenes on the beach and in the hotel dining room, reminiscent of the paintings of Jean Renoir. The music, especially during scenes of Gustave in the frame by himself, is of the mellifluous-beautiful-yet-achingly-mournful-and-plaintive strains of Gustav (hmmmm…) Mahler’s 3rd and 5th Symphonies, which appear to reflect Gustave’s complex internal emotional experiences (Mann was an admirer of Mahler’s music). Highly recommended.
6. The Dead,” by James Joyce (1914), from “Dubliners.” It examines the sometimes-enmeshed family relationships, including the continuing influences of those who have died. It also (Wikipedia) looks at the wider picture of Ireland at the time, especially the conflict between England and Ireland and the ubiquitous problem of alcoholism. The setting is an annual holiday gathering given by two older women, Kate and Jane Morkan, the aunts of Gabriel Conroy, the protagonist, as well as Mary Jane Morkan, their niece who lives with them. Gabriel is accompanied by his wife Gretta. Gabriel has been asked to give an after-dinner speech and is nervous about it, as he fears his academic language will be of-putting to the other guests. The story entails the interactions among the characters, including Molly Ivors, a left-winger who accuses Gabriel of being a British sympathizer; Freddy Malins, a lovable-but-obnoxious drunkard, as well as his embarrassed mother; Mr. Browne, a Protestant; and Bartell D’Arcy, a tenor. Despite his nervousness, Gabriel manages to pull off his speech, on Irish hospitality and particularly that of the Misses Morkan, to whom he refers as “The Three Graces.” As the gathering comes to a close, D’Arcy sings, “The Lass of Aughrim,” a mournful dirge for a dead love, reminding Gretta of her home town, Galway, (where one of her first loves, Michael Furey, “died for me.”) Gabriel had had no idea of this relationship and it makes him question his role as a husband, but also reflets on the influence of those who have died upon the living. I had a hard time getting through the story, but then I watched the movie (1987), directed by John Houston, adapted by his son Tony, and starring his daughter Anjelica as Gretta, with Donal McCann as Gabriel, with a youngish Colm Meaney and an oldish Dan O’Herlihy in the cast. The movie was very entertaining and engaging, with most of the dialog word-for-word from the novel. The obvious mutual affection of the characters and the somewhat-claustrophobic-but-jolly-nonetheless scenes of dancing and dinner, and the performance of “The Lass of Aughrim” sung by Irish singer Frank Patterson. A triumph, from my point of view, highly recommended. Afterwards, I reread the story, with a much better understanding of its characterizations and depth.
7. “The Metamorphosis,” by Franz Kafka (1915) is the most bizarre story of this bunch, but certainly is in keeping with Kafka’s notions of the absurd. It tells of Gregor Samsa, a salesman, who wakes up one morning to find that he has been magically changed into a giant cockroach or some other such vermin. No explanation is given as to how this has happened. At first, Gregor is shocked by his plight, but comes to accept it. His parents, especially his father, are critical, concerned that Gregor won’t be able to go to work, and thus put the family’s finances in jeopardy. Gregor’s health deteriorates, in large part due to his father’s actions. His employer and three prissy male guests are not helpful at all. Only his sister Grete is sympathetic, bringing him pieces of fruit to eat and generally tending to him, but eventually she too rejects him. That’s the bones of the story, but the philosophical context provides the flesh, in which Gregor is regarded as a mere cog in both society’s and the family’s machine, with no real concern for him as a “person.” Indeed, the insectoid shape he has taken seems quite apropos for how he is regarded. Not a happy little story, but gripping in its implications. I found one movie on Amazon Prime, a British film from 2018, directed by Chris Swanton It is a gloriously faithful adaptation, with a narrator for the context, and superb performances by the entire cast, notably Laura Rees (“Love, Actually”) as Grete. Gregor’s insectoid nature is very well done, and he has a sort of humanoid face (actually, it looks like the head from the old game “Cootie”), giving him a more sympathetic nature and the ability to speak through a “human” mouth. I greatly enjoyed this movie and would highly recommend it.
8. “The Fox,” by D. H. Lawrence (1923), tells the story, set in England during WWI, of two women, frail Jill Branford and strong Nellie March, who have decided to forego marriage, and who together struggle to maintain a farm. And it doesn’t take a lot of reading between the lines to see that this relationship is more than that of friends and business partners. One major problem is a fox, who ravages the farm’s chickens but who seems to evade attempts to capture or kill it; indeed, the fox seems to have a spell over her. Their relationship is upended by the arrival of Henry Grenfil, a soldier on leave, whose family at one time owned the farm. The women agree to take him in for his help on the farm. Henry becomes enamored by Nellie, and asks her to marry him. Thus, both the fox and Henry are seen as similar in their disruptive natures. As the story progresses, there is a tragedy, from which there ensues a somewhat predictable ending. A fairly deep and complex description of a dramatic and at times nasty triangle, also dealing with wider societal issues. This story was made into a movie in 1967, starring Anne Heywood, Sandy Dennis and Kier Dullea, although the setting is Canada. I was unable to find it on any streaming services or at the Library, but if it becomes available, I’ll submit a review in the Comments section.
All in all, a fairly enjoyable, though labor-intensive, experience; definitely not a romp though light fare. Five stars, but you’re gonna have to take your time.
1. “Benito Cereno,” by Herman Melville (1852) is, like “Moby Dick,” a seafaring story, replete with nautical terms and descriptions of conditions aboard ship and of the sea. It is based on a true incident regarding a slave revolt and taking over the ship transporting them (similar to the film “Amistad”), and is set in 1799. Amasa Delano, captain of the merchant ship “Bachelor’s Delight,” encounters a Spanish slave ship off the coast of Chile, captained by the titular Benito Cereno. Cereno informs Delano that the ship is in distress as a storm has killed off most of the crew (including the slaves’ owner) and some of the slaves aboard. Delano notices that Cereno appears to use lax discipline on the slaves. Indeed, Cereno’s servant Babo appears to be the more dominant of the two. Delano comes to realize that the slaves have in fact killed their owner and have taken over the ship and coerced Cereno and the remaining crew to act as servants. There are discussions between the captains regarding the nature of the Negro and the inadvisability of mixing Negro with White (or Spanish or South American) blood, and describing Blacks as natural valets and other subservient roles. This story has more action, as such, than the rest of the stories in this collection, but delves deeply into contemporary prevailing racial attitudes amongst Americans and Europeans. Disturbing on several levels, but intriguing. While I couldn’t find any movie adaptations, there was a play, “The Old Glory: Benito Cereno,” written by poet Robert Lowell, starring Frank Langella and Roscoe Lee Browne, which was adapted for a TV play on “NET Playhouse,” March 24, 1967. It does not appear to be available for viewing. Would’ve liked to have seen those two in these roles.
2. “A Simple Heart,” by Gustave Flaubert (1877) is described by Mr. Neidir as based upon Flaubert’s rural youth. It tells the story of Felicite Barrette, a good-hearted servant of Mme. Aubain, who has been left impecunious by the death of her husband. Mme. Aubain is close to her children, Paul and Virginie, and has sold her house and moved to a more modest dwelling in a small town, Pont L’Eveque. Felicite’s history is no less tragic, having lost her parents and separated from her two sisters. When she reaches majority, Felicite meets and falls in love with a man who she finds out has avoided military service, and who upstartedly marries a rich woman to avoid the draft. Felicite is heartbroken and makes her way to Pont L’Eveque, where she is hired by Mme. Aubert as a servant/cook. The story leads the reader through a number of tragedies, including Paul’s becoming a ne’er-do-well, several deaths, an accidental meeting with one of her sisters, and Mme Aubain fighting poverty and ruin. Through all this, Felicite is generous with her support, empathy and money, sometimes to those who are not at all grateful. She receives a pet parrot from one of her benefactors, with whom she maintains a very strong bond, even through Felicite’s death. I was wrung out after finishing this story, as the poor soul never seemed to catch a break and was the victim of her own empathy. I swear, M. Flaubert must have a connection to Thomas Hardy. I could find only one movie adaptation, “Un Couer Simple,” French, 2009, but could not find it on any streaming services or the Library.
3. “The Death of Ivan Ilyich,” by Leo Tolstoy (1885), tells of a well-regarded high court judge who is dying and evaluating his life, which at age 45, he feels is unfair, as he has lived a good life, as if his disease were a punishment. Ivan’s wife, Praskovya, is very self-absorbed and has no empathy with his, as it does not concern her. Same with his two grown children, Vasia and Lisa. Same, actually, with his two closest friends from his law office, Fedor and Peter, who even interrupt Ivan’s funeral in order to play Bridge. Ivan comes to realize that he has deluded himself, and that his success (which had taken him away from his family) had come at a cost and sacrifice. Thus, his life is worth than death, which he comes to welcome. Indeed, Ivan’s sole comforter is his servant, Gerasim, who is not afraid of death and offers to help Ivan come to terms with his issues. This story consists almost entirely of internal dialogue and becomes quite philosophical at times. It’s a bit plodding to get through, but well worth it. I was surprised to find only three movie adaptations; “A Simple Death” (1982), “Ivans Xtc” (2000, about a talent agent battling cancer) and “Ikiru” (“To Live,” Japanese, 1952). The last was the only one I could find. It is directed by Akira Kurosawa (“Seven Samurai”), who was influenced by both Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky. It tells of Kanji Watanabe, a mid-level bureaucrat in post-WWII Japan. He has stomach cancer and knows he will die soon. His wife is dead and he is alienated from his materialistic. Watanabe sees his life as empty and meaningless, but in contrast to Tolstoy’s story, he comes to have a purpose and thus redemption. “Ikiru” is also a social commentary on both the changes in general Japanese culture as a result of the American Occupation, and the unsaid rules of bureaucracy, “Show up on time, don’t take any time off, do nothing.” The DVD came with a commentary as well as two documentaries, one on Kurosawa and the other on the making of ‘Ikiro.” There are also two printed critiques of the movie. I would strongly recommend this movie, on its own merits as well as an adaptation of “The Death of Ivan Ilyich.”
4. “The Aspern Papers,” by Henry James (1888). The deceased title character was a well-known poet, who has reportedly left a number of his letters to his lover, Juliana Bordreau, who with her niece Tina runs a boardinghouse in Venice. The narrator, a literary critic, is obsessed with these letters and wishes to view and, if possible, own them. To that end, he lets a room, with the intent to court Tina and thereby gain access to the letters, which Tina claims don’t exist. The remainder of the story involves the narrator’s attempt to seek Juliana’s letters and thereafter what happens to the characters, as well as the letters themselves. Rather slow-moving, and mostly a character study, as befits Mr. James, but at least marginally interesting. I was able to find the most recent (2018) adaptation on Amazon Prime. In this version, the narrator is given a name, Monsieur Vint, played by Jonathan Ruys-Myers. Juliana is portrayed by Vanessa Redgrave and Tina by Joley Richardson, whose performance was my favorite. Also, the literary off-stage Aspern makes a brief appearance (which I felt helps flesh out the story. Mr. Rhys-Myers himself appears rather bored throughout his performance, and the movie moves at only a slightly faster pace than the story, not my favorite of the bunch.
5. “Death in Venice,” by Thomas Mann (1912). So we go from a story about a dead poet set in Venice to that of a man dying in Venice. Gustave von Aschenbach, a successful writer, has visited Venice a number of times previously, but this may be his last. While at his hotel, he encounters a Polish family, with the oldest child being Tadzio, a boy of 14, to whom Gustave is attracted, first in the “classic beauty” artistic sense, and subsequently in an increasingly sexualized manner. While the two do acknowledge each other at several points, they never speak or touch. Gustave also becomes aware of a possible cholera outbreak, well covered up and denied by the government, thus making the title of the story have two meanings. The ending is tragic, but not surprising. This story was adapted into a 1971 movie starring Dirk Benedict, in a tensely understated performance. The film follows the book quite accurately. Although it drags at times, it is more than made up for by the gorgeous cinematography, especially during the scenes on the beach and in the hotel dining room, reminiscent of the paintings of Jean Renoir. The music, especially during scenes of Gustave in the frame by himself, is of the mellifluous-beautiful-yet-achingly-mournful-and-plaintive strains of Gustav (hmmmm…) Mahler’s 3rd and 5th Symphonies, which appear to reflect Gustave’s complex internal emotional experiences (Mann was an admirer of Mahler’s music). Highly recommended.
6. The Dead,” by James Joyce (1914), from “Dubliners.” It examines the sometimes-enmeshed family relationships, including the continuing influences of those who have died. It also (Wikipedia) looks at the wider picture of Ireland at the time, especially the conflict between England and Ireland and the ubiquitous problem of alcoholism. The setting is an annual holiday gathering given by two older women, Kate and Jane Morkan, the aunts of Gabriel Conroy, the protagonist, as well as Mary Jane Morkan, their niece who lives with them. Gabriel is accompanied by his wife Gretta. Gabriel has been asked to give an after-dinner speech and is nervous about it, as he fears his academic language will be of-putting to the other guests. The story entails the interactions among the characters, including Molly Ivors, a left-winger who accuses Gabriel of being a British sympathizer; Freddy Malins, a lovable-but-obnoxious drunkard, as well as his embarrassed mother; Mr. Browne, a Protestant; and Bartell D’Arcy, a tenor. Despite his nervousness, Gabriel manages to pull off his speech, on Irish hospitality and particularly that of the Misses Morkan, to whom he refers as “The Three Graces.” As the gathering comes to a close, D’Arcy sings, “The Lass of Aughrim,” a mournful dirge for a dead love, reminding Gretta of her home town, Galway, (where one of her first loves, Michael Furey, “died for me.”) Gabriel had had no idea of this relationship and it makes him question his role as a husband, but also reflets on the influence of those who have died upon the living. I had a hard time getting through the story, but then I watched the movie (1987), directed by John Houston, adapted by his son Tony, and starring his daughter Anjelica as Gretta, with Donal McCann as Gabriel, with a youngish Colm Meaney and an oldish Dan O’Herlihy in the cast. The movie was very entertaining and engaging, with most of the dialog word-for-word from the novel. The obvious mutual affection of the characters and the somewhat-claustrophobic-but-jolly-nonetheless scenes of dancing and dinner, and the performance of “The Lass of Aughrim” sung by Irish singer Frank Patterson. A triumph, from my point of view, highly recommended. Afterwards, I reread the story, with a much better understanding of its characterizations and depth.
7. “The Metamorphosis,” by Franz Kafka (1915) is the most bizarre story of this bunch, but certainly is in keeping with Kafka’s notions of the absurd. It tells of Gregor Samsa, a salesman, who wakes up one morning to find that he has been magically changed into a giant cockroach or some other such vermin. No explanation is given as to how this has happened. At first, Gregor is shocked by his plight, but comes to accept it. His parents, especially his father, are critical, concerned that Gregor won’t be able to go to work, and thus put the family’s finances in jeopardy. Gregor’s health deteriorates, in large part due to his father’s actions. His employer and three prissy male guests are not helpful at all. Only his sister Grete is sympathetic, bringing him pieces of fruit to eat and generally tending to him, but eventually she too rejects him. That’s the bones of the story, but the philosophical context provides the flesh, in which Gregor is regarded as a mere cog in both society’s and the family’s machine, with no real concern for him as a “person.” Indeed, the insectoid shape he has taken seems quite apropos for how he is regarded. Not a happy little story, but gripping in its implications. I found one movie on Amazon Prime, a British film from 2018, directed by Chris Swanton It is a gloriously faithful adaptation, with a narrator for the context, and superb performances by the entire cast, notably Laura Rees (“Love, Actually”) as Grete. Gregor’s insectoid nature is very well done, and he has a sort of humanoid face (actually, it looks like the head from the old game “Cootie”), giving him a more sympathetic nature and the ability to speak through a “human” mouth. I greatly enjoyed this movie and would highly recommend it.
8. “The Fox,” by D. H. Lawrence (1923), tells the story, set in England during WWI, of two women, frail Jill Branford and strong Nellie March, who have decided to forego marriage, and who together struggle to maintain a farm. And it doesn’t take a lot of reading between the lines to see that this relationship is more than that of friends and business partners. One major problem is a fox, who ravages the farm’s chickens but who seems to evade attempts to capture or kill it; indeed, the fox seems to have a spell over her. Their relationship is upended by the arrival of Henry Grenfil, a soldier on leave, whose family at one time owned the farm. The women agree to take him in for his help on the farm. Henry becomes enamored by Nellie, and asks her to marry him. Thus, both the fox and Henry are seen as similar in their disruptive natures. As the story progresses, there is a tragedy, from which there ensues a somewhat predictable ending. A fairly deep and complex description of a dramatic and at times nasty triangle, also dealing with wider societal issues. This story was made into a movie in 1967, starring Anne Heywood, Sandy Dennis and Kier Dullea, although the setting is Canada. I was unable to find it on any streaming services or at the Library, but if it becomes available, I’ll submit a review in the Comments section.
All in all, a fairly enjoyable, though labor-intensive, experience; definitely not a romp though light fare. Five stars, but you’re gonna have to take your time.
June 12, 2012
I feel like I'm cheating adding this to my year's book count because I've been picking away at this for, literally, a couple of years. It sits on my shelf, I take it down, digest a story or two, and put it back. Courtesy of a bout of insomnia lately, I was actually able to finish it.
It also seems a trifle unfair to rate it as a whole when the individual stories would vary so differently for me. I would find myself getting bogged down by some (Melville- sorry, Herman) and being carried along effortlessly by others (always Kafka, Lawrence).
But, on average, yes, the collection would garner 4 stars in my view.
It also seems a trifle unfair to rate it as a whole when the individual stories would vary so differently for me. I would find myself getting bogged down by some (Melville- sorry, Herman) and being carried along effortlessly by others (always Kafka, Lawrence).
But, on average, yes, the collection would garner 4 stars in my view.
December 5, 2010
Some very good stuff and some stuff I had to claw my way through. This was the book where I realized that Dostoyevsky never fails to make me sleepy. But Flaubert's "A Simple Heart" and James's "The Aspern Papers" were favorites and (mostly) made up for slogging through Melville and Dostoyevsky.
May 14, 2010
I found this volume in a library book sale oh-so-many years ago. I was charmed by the dedication, "to Mark." Over the years I have read nearly all the novels contained and each one was epiphanal.
September 2, 2010
Novellas are perfect right now. Short and sweet, but these delve into deeper thoughts of human nature, life, and of course death. Should be good! Plus, I'll finally read Death In Venice.
January 30, 2011
An excellent collection that includes such faultless novellas as The Dead, Notes from Underground, and Death in Venice.
November 2, 2012
Obviously some of the selections are better than others (really, truly, deeply not a fan of the Lawrence,) but overall a fine collection and example of the short novel genre as a whole.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews