2024 Short Story April-June: A Crown of Feathers and Other Stories by

[Samantha, Creole Literary Belle]

The quarter 2 short story collection is A Crown of Feathers and Other Stories. by Isaac Bashevis Singer. Singer was born in Poland and immigrated to the USA in the early years of WWII. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1978 "for his impassioned narrative art which, with roots in a Polish-Jewish cultural tradition, brings universal human conditions to life." (NobelPrize.org)

There are 24 stories in this volume that have been translated from their original Yiddish. GR notes that, "It shared the 1974 National Book Award for Fiction with Gravity's Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon."

and also from GR: The stories appear in the following sequence:
"A Crown of Feathers"-"A Day in Coney Island"-"The Captive"-"The Blizzard"-"Property"-"The Lantuch"-"The Son from America"-"The Briefcase"-"The Cabalist of East Broadway"-"The Bishop's Robe"-"A Quotation from Klopstock"-"The Magazine"-"Lost"-"The Prodigy"-"The Third One"-"The Recluse"-"A Dance and a Hop"-"Her Son"-"The Egotist"-"The Beard"-"The Dance"-"On a Wagon"-"Neighbors"-"Grandfather and Grandson"

Check out more about him and his works here:

https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/lit...

https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmast...

https://www.bashevissinger.com/

[Kathy]

I hope to read at least the first title story, " A Crown of Feathers."

[Samantha, Creole Literary Belle]

If you do Kathy, please let us know what you think.

[Jen]

I've read about 25%, the first 5 stories. His writing really is lovely, perhaps deceptively so. It's without flourish, but beautifully crafted, not one odd word or phrasing. It just flows so well.
Despite dark themes and plots, there's something cozy in it. So far anyway. There's hints of magic, humor and humanity. He uses his characters as storytellers, so, though you're reading, there's a feeling of old-world oral storytelling tradition. And the collection spans old and modern worlds. Some stories, or stories within the stories, really seem like old folktales.
Overall, it seems to be very much a unique window into Jewish life- in Poland and the US- and, in that sense, for me, a very unique reading experience. I hope it continues to be so delightful as it has been so far. The high-star reviews give me faith it will be. I hope others will make time for this one. I'd be curious what others think of it.

[Kathy]

I read one short story, "The Crown of Feathers." I used the ebook, A Crown of Feathers and Other Stories. I liked the story; it was so different from my culture at this time and place in the 21st century United States. The stories of goblins, devils, and dreams felt very magical and scary. I may read some more of the stories at a later date.

[Jeremy]

Samantha and Kathy, I'm so glad you are enjoying this book. I actually met him when I was taking Yiddish at UConn in the 70's, just before he won the Nobel prize. I have a signed copy of Crown of Feathers. He really did come from another world. Many of his stories were serialized in the Yiddish newspapers both here and in Europe. Parenthetically, I asked him what he himself liked to read and he said he liked Balzac among others.

[Kathy]

That's great that you got to meet him, Jeremy! I like Balzac too.

[Nidhi]

I may start this book soon, its nice to see everyone is enjoying these stories, this is my first book by this author.

[Jen]

@Nidhi, I hope you can read some. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Feeling envious that Jeremy met him and got a signed copy- that's quite cool!

I'm a bit past halfway, still quite enjoying every story- often as a before-bed story. I have favorites but would say there are so far no "duds". There's a quirkiness throughout. I'm afraid that sounds demeaning but I mean it positively. It's rather enchanting. And the endings often leave me sort of quietly gasping. I remember a reviewer here describes the endings as zingers. I see it what they mean.

[Samantha, Creole Literary Belle]

Jeremy, I must clarify that I have not been reading this. My reading is very selective these days with grad school, and I simply don't have time to read as much as I want to. I am glad to hear that everyone is liking the collection so far.