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From: Charlezzzz@aol.com
Date: Sat, 28 Aug
1999 19:38:17 EDT
These stories, being the kind of stories they are, profit immensely by a second reading when you know where they are headed. Like poems. The end of Chian is echoed throughout the story, and the reader gets great pleasure (and sorrow) in seeing the themes at work. Like the false madonna the Jewish art dealer looks for; he knows it will be false, but he admires the merciless expression that will be on her face. And indeed it is.
Charlezzzz, reading these stories like poems And all sorts of good stuff.
I find that if I read a bunch of the short stories one after the other, they lose rather than gain appeal. When I read a novel, I like to go straight through without reading anything else in between. That doesn't work for me with the stories. I'm sure he didn't write them straight through, either. Reading several of them, you'll find links, common themes, stylistic techniques, but that's the man, not a deliberate tool.
I think it will help if I make a conscious effort to let time and events go by between reading each of the short stories.
- Susan
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"Who wishes to be a meagre
sailorman if he can be a learned and enter the government service? Why,
in time you might be an official and never do anything for remainder of
earthly existence. You could grow long fingernails, and become obese and
dignified. " -
Patrick O'Brian
In a message dated 12/9/99 8:25:35 AM, LarryFinch@WORLDNET.ATT.NET writes:
Here in the space of a few pages Jack descends into an unfamiliar world with the old truths discarded.
Remarkable! I cdn't find a better brief summary for many of the short stories, but Larry was talking about a scene in BATM.
Charlezzzz