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I just finished reading this one yesterday. At 4:00 am. Yes, it was that good. I've been hooked onto short stories since I happened, completely by accident, upon a collection of Roald Dahl's adult (and oh-so-twisted) short stories. I was thirteen. And I'd never be the same again.
Short stories—good short stories—are fabulous, and succulent. But they can feel like trying to survive on bite-sized French canapés. Novels, on the other hand, feel like a full-sized meal. A Thanksgiving feast. I know many people who prefer to read novels over short fiction because of this.
(Heck, I've been guilty of it, too.)
The trick, I've found, is to take short stories as a special treat. You wouldn't gorge on caviar, right? Or on those lighter-than-air Parisian croissants. (Okay, I might gorge on those—bad example.) Or include paté in every dish of a five-course meal. For one, you'd probably gain a hundred kilos. For another, after the first two courses your palate would be overloaded. Exceptional flavors need to be sampled delicately. And short fiction, when it's good, is exceptional indeed. Short stories need to be savored. Taken in small doses, to be fully appreciated.
And why do we want to appreciate them? Because the mastery of short fiction is key to the mastery of any longer format. Hilary makes an excellent example: her Man Booker prize-winning novels, Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies, are extraordinary. And, in her short fiction, that talent just blasts off the page.
If you're into excellent prose (and Dahl-ish twists), give this Mantel collection of shorts a try. (And I'd love to hear your thoughts if you do!)
Excerpt from How Shall I Know You?
I took out my purse, and when I opened it I saw with surprise that the Queen's heads were tidily stacked, pointing upward. And was there one more head than I'd expected? I frowned. My fingers flicked the edges of the notes. I'd left home with eighty pounds. It seemed I was coming back with a round hundred. I was puzzled (as the steward handed me my Large Tea); but only for a moment. I remembered the young man with his broad white smile and his ashen hair streaked with gold; the basted perfection of his firm flesh, and the grace of his hand clasping mine. I slotted the notes back inside, slid my purse away, and wondered: which of my defects did he notice first?
What do you think? Are you a lover of short fiction? Do you read it? Do you write it? What do you like and dislike most about it?
P.S. — I'm over at Julie Flanders' awesome blog today, talking about the 100-lb rescue dog who plays a main role in THE MIRACLE OF SMALL THINGS. I'd love it if you stopped by to say hi, and help me thank Julie for so generously welcoming me to her space.
Thanks for the visit! And a huge thank-you to Toinette Thomas, of The ToiBox of Words, for hosting this monthly hop. The #Booktags group is growing slowly but steadily; check out the other entries if you have a moment. Who knows, the best book you'll ever read might be waiting for you to discover it. And, if you're a reader (or a writer), maybe you'd like to join in next month? It's simple: share what you're reading or what you've read, what you're writing or have written. Sounds cool? Sign up at Toinette's site, and see you next month!
didn't know Mantel was doing contemporary books too!
ReplyDeleteI met her through Wolf Hall, Dez (and, obviously, fell in love), but this is the first of her other work I've come across. The Cromwell novels convinced me to read anything she's ever written, but after reading this I might just camp out on her doorstep (or her publisher's doorstep) to wait for the next one :D
DeleteHope you liked the WOLF HALL TV series... I gave up on it after two episodes it had such terrible lack of vision and dynamics and direction too... but I hear other people liked it.
DeleteI've always preferred novels to short stories because I love to wallow in a good book and make it last for as long as possible. I did start to write short stories a few years ago when a publishing opportunity arose for science fiction short stories. The first one I submitted was 4K and the last 26K. So I write long as well. Writing and reading short stories takes discipline, but it's definitely worth reading shorts from great authors.
ReplyDeleteI hear you, Tamara. Those of us who read fast have that problem... My honey says I need to buy books by the kilo, not the title :D
DeleteI used to never read short fiction until someone challenged me to write it. It was much harder than I'd imagined, so I started reading it to bone up. I love it, well sort of. I also hate it sometimes. I feel like it teases me, which only makes me want to read more. I've also been able to write a few pieces and an constantly working to improve in that area.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for hopping along with me this month. I'll definitely have to give this collection a try.
I'm with you, Toinette... Short fiction is hard... Mainly, I suppose, because in order to be good it requires a very finely honed craft. Which is why it makes us better writers ;) But yes, it can feel like teasing, which is very annoying.
DeleteThank YOU for hosting the hop!
When I'm in the mood, I like to read short stories. Once short stories were said to be the way to learn to write properly so you could tackle a full-length meal, er, novel. Well, I think flash fiction and short stories have their own demands and honing your 'short' skills is hard work. I like the fewer character, get-t-the-point attitude of shorts and flash. This one sounds like a cracker to have with my pate. Thanks Guilie! See you tomorrow at my place!
ReplyDeleteYou're absolutely right, Denise... Short stories aren't a preamble to writing novels; they're a challenge in and of themselves, and a huge one. I believe that a writer of good short stories will produce a good novel (assuming s/he wants to), but a writer of good novels will not necessarily produce good short stories.
DeleteThanks for the visit, Denise! Looking forward to tomorrow!
I just get into the characters when the story ends, and a whole new cast of characters melt onto the stage with their concerns. I like the short stories of Neil Gaiman, John D MacDonald, Stephen King, H P Lovecraft, Harlan Ellison, and (as a young boy) Robert E Howard.
ReplyDeleteI have written several collections of short stories myself. Thanks for visiting my blog and saying HI.
You're so right, Roland... Short stories often bring intense characters to life, and they stick with us long past the "end" of the story. Thanks for visiting back! I'll head over to vote for your story now :)
DeleteOh, a request: could you vote for my short story, HORROR ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS, in the Stephen King contest? Just hit your cursor over the heart located next to my title. http://www.inkitt.com/harrowing Thanks for even listening to me. :-)
ReplyDeleteI love both short and long - Dahl's adult short stories are a real treat with twists in the tales. But there's nothing to beat an absorbing long novel. I loved Wolf Hall & Bring up the Bodies. At the moment I'm re-reading Robertson Davies' (Canadian author, I don't think alive): The Cornish Trilogy.
ReplyDeleteSusan, I'd never heard of the Cornish Trilogy, but I just looked it up—and it sounds fascinating. Will add it to the wish list :) You're so right about shorts vs. good novels; nothing beats a well-written, fabulously plotted novel with compelling characters.
DeleteThanks for the visit!
I prefer novels, but I have found some shorts I really love. Some that I've read leave me feeling cheated, almost as if the author was too conservative with words and the story didn't have a mood, just plots points.
ReplyDeleteThey are hard to write, I've written flash and a couple the tipped into short stories mode by a few words, and they were tough to do!
Oh and I adore that book cover! :)
DeleteI do love short stories and read them more often than novels. I try not to devour them too quickly but I'm a fast reader. :)
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to not devour when the stories are good, Chrys :) You might be the first person I meet who reads more short fiction than long—kudos to you!
DeleteI love short stories. I try to intersperse my reading with short story collections. The cover is great.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear it, Shannon! It is a pretty cool cover, isn't it?
DeleteShort fiction is so hard to write, but when it is good...it is amazing.
ReplyDeleteToo right, Elizabeth... When it's good, it's really good :D Thanks for coming by!
DeleteI've been reading more short stories lately. This books like like a winner. I'll add it to my wish list.
ReplyDelete