What a great cover.
One of my favorite short story writers too. I have only read two stories from this collection, but both were knockouts. "Mortals" is the story of a young man hired to write the obituaries for a small town newspaper. His editor calls him in one day where an older man and woman are seated. He had written an obit for the man sitting in front of him. It turns out the obit writer does not check to see if a person is actually dead. His editor fires him. On his way out, the supposedly dead man tries to make amends for him losing his job. The outcome is unexpected but not unearned.
The second
story "Powder" is about a father and son traveling on newly fallen snow.
Given what I know about Wolff's life (THIS BOY's LIFE) this is surely
autobiographical.
10 comments:
I agree with you and Jeff: Tobias Wolff is a terrific writer! Around 30 years ago, Jeff Meyerson told me he read at least one short story per day. I was impressed and started reading a short story per day, also. I'm glad you cam up with WEDNESDAY'S SHORT STORIES so we could all share the great stories we've been reading!
Those both sound like intriguing stories, Patti, and they're innovative. I'm not surprised you liked them.
Your descriptions of the two stories by Wolff are very good and I will look for some of his stories. I had sworn I would cut back on buying short story books at the book sale, but I already have a long list to look for. It is a good inexpensive way to sample the author's writing.
I think I have only read one Lockridge and one Dick and both were novels.
You can probably find Wolff stories online, Tracy.
He is one of my favorite ss writers, Margot. But This Boy's Life is his best--a memoir though
Definitely try Dick's short stories sometime, Patti..."Upon the Dull Earth" if no others, and there are plenty of others...I like the Lockridges' stories I've read (and all of Wolff's...
Fairly certain I once had this Wolff collection. I may have never opened it though.
I have books I have never opened too. I always lean toward the library books rather than ones on my shelves.
I was telling someone yesterday that about once a year I plan to only rad the items I and not get library books. Never works out for me.
Ugh. "I plan to only read the items I own and not get library books."
Love Tobias Wolff. His short story "Bullet in the Brain" is a masterclass of the short story.
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