The Long and Short of It
March 1, 2008 by David Schleicher
The short story form is something I have yet to master, yet it’s a form I love returning to again and again in my reading. As Kurt Vonnegut once said, short stories are like “Buddhist catnaps.” While even the bad ones can be a form of escapism from day to day activities and easily forgotten, some rise to the level of art and can be as complex, challenging, and unforgettable as the greatest of novels.
Having just finished reading James Joyce’s short story collection, Dubliners, I was inspired to create a brief list of the greatest short stories I’ve ever read.
1. “The Dead” by James Joyce
2. “The Basement Room” (aka “The Fallen Idol”) by Graham Greene
3. “Two Soldiers” and “Shall Not Perish” by William Faulkner
4. “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson
5. “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” by Edgar Allan Poe
I was also tempted to include “The Turn of the Screw” by Henry James, though that is officially considered a novella, and at 80 some odd pages, it is rather torturous to get through (which is part of the suspense of it all).
What stories would make your list?
For more on James Joyce’s “The Dead” and my current reads, click below:
http://davethenovelist.wordpress.com/2008/03/01/bring-out-the-dead/
7 Responses to “The Long and Short of It”
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I read the post on your blog and while it is interesting, I have to disagree with you wholeheartedly on what comes across to me as an arrogant dismissal of a slew of short stories that have been written through the ages. On your blog you say, “Occasionally, I come across one that reaches the level of art.” Poe is a given, but there are numerous writers of short stories (some also write/wrote novels) that are worth reading, and their short story works are art. Anton Chekhov comes to mind, as well as Alice Walker, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Guy de Maupassant, Ernest Hemingway, T. C. Boyle, Joyce Carol Oates, Ray Bradbury, Franz Kafka, Richard Matheson, the list goes on.
As a writer of short stories, and a “new” writer as far as industry and public recognition goes, I am always thrilled to discover great new short stories within the pages of literary magazines, anthologies and short story collections, and to support the writers behind them. Many of the authors do not have name recognition, and disparaging opinions–especially from fellow writers–about the majority of short story literature perpetuate the decline of interest in discovering new works. Once anyone really gets into reading what is out there, it’s clear that while there may be some junk, there’s also a wealth of amazing short and long form literature to be read. All the writers I mentioned started somewhere, and they might have remained undiscovered if not for those that took chances on reading their work.
Nancy, I feel you may have misjudged what I was saying and the purpose of the post (most specifcally the one on my personal blog linked to this one here). I can understand your need to rush to the defense of the short story form, but I don’t feel it is necessary. I love short stories, and I have read many from both legendary and relatively unknown writers. As a matter of fact, I loved many of yours (as you know). Like any form, there are good short stories and bad short stories. In my post, I was using Vonnegut’s quote that short stories are like “Buddhist catnaps” which implies that they merely serve as escapism (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing) as a starting point for discussion, and I took that a step further and said that some actually reach the level of art. This post was meant to celebrate the short story form, and most importantly share my thoughts on my recent reads, the novel The Poe Shadow and James Joyce’s short story collection, Dubliners. The only person who may need defending as a result of my post is novelist Matthew Pearl. I thought I clearly stated (maybe not based on your reaction) that reading any short story would be better than suffering through a terrible novel. –DHS
You know what Dave, I believe you’re right. I hear a lot about the short story being dead, and almost all of the new short stories I come across say to me that it isn’t. But on the comment, I wanted to make sure that I was honest in my opinion without being insulting. I do enjoy your posts and tend to visit your blog often, even if I don’t comment.
I read my comment on the post to a trusted friend of mine and they said, “It sounds like you misunderstood.” Well, if I’m wondering about the comment, someone else says what I suspect, and you also reiterate the same sentiment, then . . . my bad. It was a good post though, and while I haven’t read James Joyce since college it made me want to revisit his stories. My original interpretation of the comment in your post is officially retracted.
It is always a pleasure to come across literary oriented sites like this. Literature brings us together irrespective of race, country and colour. I for example am based in South Africa, a burgeoning black writer who loves reading short stories in particular. I have been inspired by the short stories (and fiction) of Omoseye Bolaji, an award winning black writer here. But I believe one can enjoy short stories penned not only by African writers but also intriguing authors like Jeffery Archer, Peter Cheyney, Agatha Christie etc.
Thanks for visiting, Jerry. I agree with that completely; there are so many writers from all cultures and it’s great to explore the different stories that are written. I’ve not heard of Omoseye Bolaji, but thanks for the recommendation!
There are so many writers - as you have indicated. As a literary critic I am sometimes frustrated that one’s knowledge is always limited. As regards Omoseye Bolaji for example, he has published at least ten striking works of fiction, and I am one of those who have published critical studies (books) on his works. In Africa here there are so many important writers, including writers of short stories. One of the most renowned, Cyprian Ekwensi, died late last year, a man often dubbed “the Daniel Defoe of African writing”. Thanks.
Thanks, Pule, for visiting. I went to your website and read a few of the articles there. In the review for “View from My Window” by Flaxman Qoopane, one thing you said struck me as very interesting. “If a critic focuses on the author rather than the text, he will end up being biased.” I don’t consider myself a “critic” but that seems like a good stance to have when reviewing fiction.
Sometimes I read negative reviews that focus so much on the author and so little on the work that I feel like reading the book just to find out what it’s about!