The Collected Short Stories of Harriette Simpson Arnow

by Harriette Simpson Arnow, Haeja K. Chung (Editor)

Harriette Simpson Arnow is an American treasure. Of the twenty-five stories in this collection, fifteen were previously unpublished. Until now, the short fiction of Arnow has remained relatively obscure despite the literary acclaim given to her novels The Dollmaker and Hunter’s Horn. These stories, written early in her career for the most part, reveal an artistic vision and narrative skill and serve as harbingers for her later work. They echo her interest in both agrarian and urban communities, the sharpening of her social conscience, and her commitment to creating credible and complex characters. This collection is organized against the backdrop of her life, from Kentucky in the 1920s to Ohio and Kentucky in the 1930s and to Michigan in the 1940s. As Arnow fans read these early gems, they will be led from gravel roads to city pavement and open layers of Arnow’s development as a novelist to expose the full range of her contributions to American literature.
     In 1938, Esquire purchased "The Hunters," which was eventually published as "The Two Hunters," a chilling story of a seventeen-year- old boy’s confrontation with a deputy sheriff. At the time, Esquire did not accept submissions from women, and its editors had no idea that writer H. L. Simpson was not a man. Years later, she admitted in an interview, "it worried me a little, that big lie, but I thought if they wanted a story, let them have it." Esquire paid her $125 for this story. The contributor’s notes at the back of the magazine include a photo of "H.L.Simpson," actually a photo of one of her brothers-in-law. It was her little joke on a publisher that discriminated against women....
—from the Introduction

Genres: Short Stories

259 pages, Paperback

First published October 11, 2005

About the author

Harriette Simpson Arnow (July 7, 1908 – March 22, 1986) was an American novelist, who lived in Kentucky and Michigan.

(from Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Dave Marsland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harriette Simpson Arnow is one of America's finest writers. Famous for her novels The Dollmaker and Hunter's Horn, her short stories have flown under the radar for years. Mostly written in the early part of her career, they are a precursor for her later work and illustrate her vision and skill as an author. Having read most of her novels it was interesting to see how she developed as a writer. Many of the stories consider the movement of people from the Appalachian region to northern industrial cities like Detroit. If you've never read her before, this would be an excellent starting point.
Split into 3 sections, none of the stories disappoint. The first section (Kentucky 1920's) contains three stories that were written when she was a teenager. Both Winky Creek’s New Song and The Goat Who Was a Cow are delightful.
The second section comprises of stories written in Ohio/Kentucky in the 1930’s. These stories demonstrate the brilliance that she displays in her novels, from the gruesome, vengeful A Mess of Pork, to the brilliant, tense Two Hunters, which was published in Esquire under the name of HL Simpson. The magazine's male editor was a chauvinist who would not accept stories submitted by women, so she used her maiden name and included a photo of her brother-in-law for the contributor’s notes at the back of the magazine. Not only is it a superb story, it also illustrates her determination to be published. Possibly my favourite story in the section is Blessed-Blessed where there is the juxtaposition of a young girl learning her bible studies to the background noise of bloodhounds in a lynching party that are chasing an escaped negro. The ending is fantastic.
The incredibly perceptive White Collar Woman is ostensibly it's about newspapers and trade unions, the freedom of expression and urbanisation. But really, it's a story about how fear consumes people.
The final section of the book contains five stories written in Michigan in the 1940’s and demonstrate her interest in industrial history and politics. Perhaps in these stories you begin to see the women behind the author.
Of the twenty -five stories, none are a disappointment. Some work better than others and several of them are outstanding. It’s a delight to see such a talented (and underrated) author honing her skills. Several of the stories are early draughts of her novels, especially Hunter’s Horn.
As always, I read this with my wonderful friend Lori. It's no great secret that we are trying to read all Arnow's books together. We've only a couple more to go, and I'm not sure what we will do when we get to the end. Maybe start all over again.
Harriette Simpson Arnow is an author who gives and gives. This collection of short stories has a little bit of everything and leaves you wanting more.

[Debra McDonald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kind of depressing.