The Oxford Book of English Short Stories (Oxford Books of Prose & Verse)
Product ID: 50496478
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From Anthony Trollope, Charles Dickens, and Thomas Hardy, through Rudyard Kipling, H.G. Wells, D.H. Lawrence, and Virginia Woolf, right up to Graham Greene, J.G. Ballard, Angela Carter, Ian McEwan, and many others, The Oxford Book of English Short Stories encompasses comedy and tragedy, farce and delicacy, elegance and the grotesque. Edited by noted novelist A. S. Byatt, the thirty-seven stories gathered here range from social realism to surreal fantasy, from rural poverty to war-blitzed London, from tales of the supernatural to precise delineations of the mundane, all unified by Byatts demanding criteria that the works be both startling and satisfying, and if possible make the hairs on the neck prickle with excitement, aesthetic or narrative. For short story lovers and anyone unable to resist the enchantments of the English imagination, The Oxford Book of English Short Stories offers a wide array of unforgettable pleasures, now reissued with a fresh, contemporary feel. Review: Short stories but long on veriety and enjoyment - "Who's your favourite book writer, granddad?" That's the question my 8yr old granddaughter asked me when she'd hinted that she was going to get me a book for my birthday. I'm really glad that my reply was somewhat `vague' in that I remember telling her that I liked so many authors, classics and modern, and that I would ideally like to read `something from everybody'. It seems my granddaughter took me literally and presented the Oxford Book of Short Stories to me on my birthday - and what a treat it's turned out to be. Wonderful, 37 stories from the 19th & 20th centuries' authors ranging from Dickens, Woolf, Woodhouse, Wells, Lawrence, Kipling, Greene and many others, some of which I'm reading for the first time. The stories themselves are a wonderful selection, Byatt should be commended on her choice; Byatt tells us that her "... only criterion was that [the] stories ... should be startling and satisfying, and if possible make the hairs on the neck prickle with excitement aesthetic narrative". I think she's managed this. As a rule I read a few stories each night before going to bed which resulted in about 2 weeks of very, very enjoyable reading - I fully recommend this anthology to anyone and everyone, and it's hard for me to imagine anyone getting the same level of enjoyment for the price paid for the book. Review: Good material - Bought for my wife. On the whole she has found some gems, but also some scary stories. A good read I am told
| Best Sellers Rank | 132,512 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) 36 in Criticism on Novels & Novelists 940 in Fiction Anthologies (Books) 4,342 in Short Stories (Books) |
| Customer Reviews | 4.3 out of 5 stars 97 Reviews |
M**7
Short stories but long on veriety and enjoyment
"Who's your favourite book writer, granddad?" That's the question my 8yr old granddaughter asked me when she'd hinted that she was going to get me a book for my birthday. I'm really glad that my reply was somewhat `vague' in that I remember telling her that I liked so many authors, classics and modern, and that I would ideally like to read `something from everybody'. It seems my granddaughter took me literally and presented the Oxford Book of Short Stories to me on my birthday - and what a treat it's turned out to be. Wonderful, 37 stories from the 19th & 20th centuries' authors ranging from Dickens, Woolf, Woodhouse, Wells, Lawrence, Kipling, Greene and many others, some of which I'm reading for the first time. The stories themselves are a wonderful selection, Byatt should be commended on her choice; Byatt tells us that her "... only criterion was that [the] stories ... should be startling and satisfying, and if possible make the hairs on the neck prickle with excitement aesthetic narrative". I think she's managed this. As a rule I read a few stories each night before going to bed which resulted in about 2 weeks of very, very enjoyable reading - I fully recommend this anthology to anyone and everyone, and it's hard for me to imagine anyone getting the same level of enjoyment for the price paid for the book.
B**G
Good material
Bought for my wife. On the whole she has found some gems, but also some scary stories. A good read I am told
K**R
Highly recommended (especially if you've been jaded by other short story collections!)
This was a delight- I've found many short story anthologies these days seem to suffer from trying to group around a theme, or stick to one type of author, period, or genre. This collection was like taking treasures from a jewel box; perhaps not each one to your taste, or perhaps your favourite author's entry here isn't what you'd have chosen, but you'll always have individual preferences emerging. Byatt's done an amazing job choosing from a wide range of short stories, and putting them together in a way which really fits. It's also not a 'throwaway' collection you buy for a flight and can get rid of- there's a lot of depth and stories you'll want to come back to. And best, being able to discover something you wouldn't have otherwise selected for yourself which opens up a new avenue of readership- the true mark of a good edited anthology.
P**H
Four Stars
Varied and interesting a varied selection of first-rate stories.
N**Y
A must have for your book collection.
The best short story collection on earth.
D**N
As described.
Another very good collection of short stories, by a variety of authors. Great. Thanks.
K**G
Great short stories
Bought as a help for my son to aid in GCSE essay writing. Now have this in the ‘smallest room’ and it makes for great 5 minute reads!
B**E
Four Stars
Not really started on this book, so cannot comment on it at the present.
B**L
Good condition
Great condition!
J**N
Peut faire réfléchir
Stories très différentes et permettant de se poser des questions!
D**K
Five Stars
Superb - Lived up to all my expectations
M**A
Ràpido
Buen estado
J**A
Ok
Ok
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