Short Stories Books

Candide: Or Optimism parodies the classic, romantic coming-of-age story, with the young title character, Candide - the ignorant, ever-optimistic metaphysician of Westphalia- confronting the evils of the real world. His forbidden love of a baron's daughter causes Candide to be evicted from his home and sheltered life into a desolate sixteenth-century Europe--where the strong prey on the weak and misery abounds in the heart of humanity. The master of social commentary dissects spiritual faith, ethics and legal systems, love and human vanity all in under 200 pages. Everyone can relate Candide's life story and journey to their own. Highly recommended.

I enjoyed this book, but it was irritating looking up the footnotes. They made it especially amusing and odd, but it definitely isn't my favorite.

Candide is certainly humorous for those that understand medieval to early modern European history.This satire is cynical much like Erasmus' "Praise of Folly". Voltaire attacks many of the issues of European society. You do not need to be a historian to appreciate this work, or have a great knowledge of European history to understand it.
Buy it and enjoy.

If you thought 18th century satire is irrelevant today, you might want to know the meaning of that Italian phrase, uttered by a eunuch at the sight of an abandoned and beautiful young lady in the story: "Oh, what a misfortune to be without balls!"

If you've made the decision to read Candide already, then this is the version you want to buy. Theo Cuffe's translation is more recent and much better than any other ones out there. I was thinking of purchasing the Oxford World Classics edition - after all, it's a few dollars cheaper and has a few more stories - but after contrasting paragraphs from Candide in either version, I decided Cuffe's superior translation warrants the extra money. This edition is also bound beautifully; it's a paperback but the cover is much firmer than a regular paperback and is adorned with eye-catching comic strips and a useful list (with pictures) of the main characters on the inside flap of the cover. This edition also has very thorough footnotes at the end; if you're like me and have little acquaintance with the 18th century and life through the era of Enlightenment, the handy footnotes will graciously guide your way. Aside from the footnotes, this edition also has additional pertinent writings from Voltaire including a poem he wrote on the disaster of the Lisbon earthquake and some excerpts from his Philosophic Dictionary.

Now, if you haven't made up your mind as to whether you'd like to read this, I strongly urge that you do. It's a rather short story but a very profound one. It's extremely witty, clever, and yet masterfully laconic. The story itself is an assault on the philosophic concept of "Optimism" as championed by Leibniz, Alexander Pope, and various other contemporaries of Voltaire who believed that all that happens in the world is for the best, and that we live in the best of all possible worlds. As Pope himself said famously, "whatever IS, is good." Candide, the young, naive and charming protagonist of our story is very much swayed in the direction of believing in Optimism because of the teachings of his philosopher teacher Pangloss. But as Candide inadvertently travels the world, matures, and learns from the sight of reality beyond the corridors of his residence at Westphalia, his perceptions begin to change, and we begin to develop nothing short of a sense for everything that is meaningful and meaningless in life. As Gustave Flaubert once said, the prose of Voltaire is mesmerizing and yet ingeniously succinct. You'll know the feeling once you travel the land of Eldorado, where people are indifferent to diamonds and gold lying in their streets and where everything is in perfect harmony, with non-other than the worthy Candide.

I think a lot of readers miss the point of this book. It is a romantic adventure story like the Odyssey and The Princess Bride, not some political rant or whatever people misconstrue it to be. It is named after the star of the book, Candide, a young nobleboy that's sent out on his own in the 18th century. Like Alexander the great, Candide has his Aristotle...in this case Pangloss, an amazing philosopher that believes everything has a purpose and works for the common good in the world. Throughout his adventures, Candide's faith in his mentor's teachings is continually tested, yet he stands firm in his beliefs instead of caving in capriciously.

You are no doubt getting ready to throw this book into your Amazon cart, but I beseech you dear reader, hold back and finish this review. For I need to impart in you the fact that this book is a love story as well! Candide, from his days in the Baron's court has been in love with the beautiful Cunegonde, whose stolen kiss is responsible for his banishment from the castle! On his journeys he meets back up with the fair maiden, in Portugal, and they go on a romantic boat-ride together! They sail to South America in the New World where they soon must split up.

Candide then travels to El Dorado where he meets the king! The king gives him billions of dollars worth of diamonds! He loses most of the diamonds on the way home, but he is still a millionaire. He then must travel to Venice where he is to meet back up with his love.

There were some funny parts in this book, but most of it was starkly serious. There was war, torture, natural disasters, and many other road blocks that Candide must overcome in order to get his prize, Cunegonde. I found this book to be a great motivational tool for myself. "You don't get the princess Cunegonde unless you sail to the New World and get a bunch of diamonds from the king of Eldorado," I keep telling myself.

I don't understand why so many people had a cow over this book. Apparently its author was thrown into prison for writing it! Maybe because it was a little violent and people weren't used to violence back then. Though I do admit, this book is strictly R rated, which makes me upset that they have school-kids reading this stuff. Kids, having never been subjected to the subjects of s e x and violence in this book may not understand it in a mature way without parental guidance.

The author picked a good name for the star of this book, as Candide is an unusual name and makes a good title. Can you imagine if he named the main character Steve? It just wouldn't have the same effect. I liked this book so I hope the author has some more fun adventure stories in the works.

JIM, who ran away from his nurse and was eaten by a lion.

It's small wonder that Edward Gorey chose to illustrate Belloc's verses, written nearly a century ago - in fact, they were such a clear and strong influence on his work, it's hard to believe he didn't write them himself. 'Cautionary Tales' is a literary work that was years ahead of its time, parodying the overtly-strict educational children's verses of the time with tales of children whose punishment is wholly disproportioned to their crime. Gorey's illustrations, published only after his death in 2000, complete the ghoulish verses with his trademark naïve and refined black and white crosshatching. Already in his seventies, Gorey has lost none of his charm and style and these illustrations are as nasty and sarcastic as anything he's done, perfectly complimenting the ironic text.

'Cautionary Tales' is the first work of Gorey's published after his death, and it's a perfect conclusion to his illustrious career, and one of his finest works. It's an essential to any fan of this great artist.

This was one of the loved books of my childhood in the original edition, of course.

I hadn't seen it for a very long time and was anxious to haev a copy for my younger grandchildren. Though old people can enjoy it as well.

Now plesed to have it on my own shelves

I got this to read to my nephews, and it did not disappoint when the time came to pick a story to read. I highly recommend this and the Gashlycrumb Tinies to anyone with children or nephews....

I just gave this to a friends' one year old for her birthday. In the inscription I wrote that she ought to read and learn, as whatever she does in life will come back to haunt her. My friend thought the book hysterical. Her husband thinks we're both odd...

One can imagine Edward Gorey mulling over these "Cautionary Tales",subsequently creating succinct Goreyesque illustrations for them. Then years later after presenting his family to us in "The Willowdale Handcar" he undoubtedbly mulled over ideas about families & children and came up with my personal favorite Gorey: The Gashleycrumb Tinies. If you like Gorey & you like the Tinies, you'll enjoy "Cautionary Tales".

4 stars only because I happen to like the devilishly wonderful "Tinies" better.

I have loved these stories since my early childhood. In an age of [...]on the TV and movies. These stories will delight children young and old and make you wish you were born back when this stuff was comon place.

Centerburg Tales is the second book to hold stories about Homer Price and friends. The first four stories are tales from Grandpa Hercules, an old man known for his tall tales. All of the stories, including the three not told by Hercules, are fun to read, even outloud! Giant ragweeds, 'Eversomuch More-So' (which makes everything better) and a song you just can't stop singing! Good, old fashion, drug free, rocket-ship free, non-violent FUN for most of the family.

"That character," said Freddy after a long silence, "could make some little squirrel very happy."

This is a great sequel to the original "Homer Price". Homer and his friends are off on more wacky adventures, each one funnier than the last. The final story, in which Homer and his fellow citizens are literally dancing all over town, is one of the most hilarious children's tales ever written. McCloskey had magic in his writing pen and his drawing pencil; it's hard to say which are better, the stories or the illustrations. Suffice to say that they all add up to a wonderful book for young folks. Highly recommended.

I loved the silly stories of Centerburg as a kid and hoped that my nine-year-old nephew would not find the material too dated to understand. No worries! He laughs out loud at the complicated adventures that ensnare Homer Price and his friends. I'm pleased that he's enjoying a book that enlarges his vocabulary and his ideas about life way back in the mid-twentieth century.

The Adventures of Homer Price in the quaint town of Centerburg are flat out hilarious. Homer's uncle Hercules quickly sets the tone of disbelief by spinning some yarns that have just enough "truth" to them to be plausible. This is a truly a story of the American Scene in a time when people entertained themselves by gabbing with one another and singing songs together instead of hiding in the basement watching videos. Good old timey values like hucksterism, lying, and cheating face the good natured community of Centerburg and sometimes turn it upside down. Strange things happen in Centerburg, and the curious Homer Price is going to get to the bottom of it. Robert McClosky is also one of our finest illustrators and his lively drawings add texture and background to the story. Highly Recommeded.

I was very saddened to know that life of this young child can be considered to be normal...until the child grows up. I felt in every line drawn an emotion was spilling off of the page...the words were so carefully chosen...the detail in each frame is fascinating. This author is more than a comic she is a master of the arts.

I can't say enough about this author/artist. I've just finished reading the book and am almost speechless. For anyone out there still dealing with demons of their own less than perfect childhoods, this book takes on the feel of a close friend in the same situation. The author, in a semi-autobiographical fashion, recounts a childhood of sexual abuse, drug abuse, and general coming-of-age well before it ever should. Full of amazing illustrations (Gloeckner is a lauded medical illustrator as well as excellent cartoonist), this book is sure to please anyone looking for something different, and in my case, cathartic. I don't think I could begin to recommend this book highly enough. I'm just glad that I live in a day and age where this book is not only allowed to be published, but can earn accolades as well (the least of which is from me). Thank you, Phoebe!

This collection of Phoebe Gloeckner's comics is definitely not for the faint of heart, but it's worth a reading. If you haven't read her novel, Diary of a Teenage Girl, I think you will find this book a better introduction to her work. The themes are much the same and the comic art is very well done.
The subject matter is pretty bleak.

A Child's Life is hard to read but even harder to turn your eyes away from. Her child-like drawings combined with adult events and content perfectly express the difficult adolescent limbo between girl and woman.

"A Child's Life" by Phoebe Gloeckner is like witnessing a car wreck or a street fight: you are horrified and appalled, but you can't stop looking. This beautifully drawn book gives graphic insight to the devastating impact of psychological and sexual abuse on children and teens, but also portrays the importance of facing and overcoming bad early life experiences in order to have a productive adult life. In my lifetime, I have known too many people in their 30's, 40's and even 50's who suffered childhood/adolescent problems that seem minor compared to what "Minnie" endured, and who continue to use their past problems as an excuse for continuously messing up their lives throughout adulthood; "A Child's Life" should be mandatory reading for these folks. Without doubt, a childhood of abuse and neglect is horrible, but we do ourselves and our society a disservice when we rely on it to excuse our own bad behaviour and avoid growing up and moving on with our lives. Phoebe Gloeckner is a new kind of hero who survived a hell on earth and bravely lived to tell the tale in an intelligent and scorching manner. (N.B. This book should not be given to children or young teens; it would frighten them. Older teens, depending on their maturity level, would find this book compelling and cautionary.)

Yet another gripping Judge Dee mystery! Judge Dee is better than Sherlock Holmes by far - more complicated and intricate mysteries, plus a fascinating look at daily life in China centuries ago. Also, as a protagoist Judge Dee is a much more "relatable" character. I have owned this for years, and have read and reread it a number of times - and each time I find further nuances I didn't notice before - and my enjoyment of it only increases!

If you are looking for something completely different in mysteries, I recommend the Judge Dee books. Set in China in the 600's. Judge Dee is compared to Sherlock Holmes. Very well written with a lot of cultural information. Never dull.
The Chinese Gold Murders introduces Dee and his cohorts. Solving murders in oriental fashion. Not sparing detail on the punishment of the guilty.

Rebeccasreads highly recommends THE CHINESE GOLD MURDERS in which Judge Dee Dee investigates the murder of his predecessor -- a Magistrate who now stalks the neighborhood as a ghost.

Judge Dee-Jen Dijeh (630-700 A.D.) was a Magistrate known for his wisdom & wit in China, & his stories were a part of the local folklore. Robert Van Gulik, who had a historian's interest in China in the early 1950s, was fascinated by the tales of this judge, & finally collected & fictionalized them into four volumes.

The wit, ingenuity, & genius of Judge Dee is well reflected. Remember the old tales of King Solomon the Just -- well, give them an Asian flavor, a touch of Old China -- & you get Judge Dee.

All of Judge Dee's books are most pleasurable - - worthy of 10 stars!

I have read all the Judge Dee mysteries at least twice, and really love them. However, I have just read a number of books on China and discover that van Gulik has purposefully mislead readers to make ancient Chinese justice just like Western justice and rather appealing. The truth is almost the exact opposite.

If you are interested, a standard history of china by harvard professor John Fairbank and Merle Goldman, China A History, explains that the Chinese justice system was openly corrupt (corruption did not have to be secret - it was and is the accepted way), relied on torture of both plaintiff and defendent, had no consistent laws, no equal punishments for the same offence (everything was based on class and kinship status) and bascially was just like modern Communist law: it was a vehicle for the state to control behavior. The goal was not 'justice' in the Judeo-Christian sense but state control.

Also like Communist China under Mao, imperial law relied on collective punishment to terrorize the populace. The entire population was divided into groups of ten and one hundred families, and if anyone in the whole group was condemned, the entire group could be executed. For serious offenses, thousands of families would all be executed.

Van Gulik is always showing citizens bringing disputes before the court. In reality, this was never done - as both sides could be tortured and both sides had to pay the court and both sides had to bribe the court. Instead, people relied on their village elders or clan heads to rule on disputes, as the court system was too dangerous.

Most of the ideals that Van Gulik gives to Judge Dee of fairness, protecting the weak against the strong etc. are Christian values that go back to the Jewish Bible (God creating all men equal, protect the weak and the stranger, equality before the law etc). They are antithetical to Chinese values from imperial to modern times. It is very important not to pretend that foreign cultures are the same as we are...or that our values are universal. They are very special treasures that we should be incredibly grateful for.

The Judge Dee books also mention women's tiny feet at times, but he never tells the reader that until 1900, all upper class and middle class women in China had their feet broken and maimed leading to their being crippled for life, unable to walk normally (euphemism - binding their feet). From the 19th century, this custom of torturing and crippling women spread among the peasants also. 10% of girls probably died from this treatment.

Van Gulik prominently features 'courtesans' and 'prostitutes.' A more accurate term might be slaves or sex slaves.

We are often told that China was 'more advanced' than the west until modern times. In truth, they were most comparable to ancient Rome, a cruel and despotic slave-owning culture with admirable roads and art. But Rome at least had rule of law, something China never had.

So, enjoy Judge Dee - but take it for what it is, bascially a fun Western mystery story set in a lovingly recreated period piece, kind of like most Hollywood movies - great costumes, great settings, fun plots, endearing characters - all basically unrealistic.

Imagine a Sherlock Holmes from the 6th century China, complete with flowy beards and costumes to match. Folklores. Long horse rides. Noodles and ricewine in roadside restaurants. Mysterious drunks and poets in clandestine wenches. Warriors turned highway men. Weretigers (I had to look it up), the feline equivalents of werewolves.

And cast amidst this historically vivid milieu, a gory murder of a district magistrate, whose ghost has scared many since his sudden demise.

For its twisted and edge-of-the-seat plot alone, this hidden little gem bags my higest recommendation. Most mystery thrillers have the reader thinking of prospective culprits as they read along, but I had a tough time establishing some sort of motive or identifying targets until nearly the end of the Gold Murders.

And that's only half the fun. Gulik's measured prose has a cultured elegance that brings China's simple yet layered world of nearly two centuries ago springing back to life. It's witty. It's ribald, with a tight economy of description, which makes it twice as juicy. And it's chockfull of deceit and honour in the noblest of ways.

An engaging but human good old fashioned tale of intrigue. Easily one of the best detective novels I've ever had the luxury of devouring.

"City Heat" is an eclectic mix of skilled prose, thought-provoking poetry, and wonderful illustrations. The collection is a masterpiece from one the South's best humorists and storytellers. Each piece is a gold nugget in its on right. This is a "must buy."

William Park has the talent, sense of humor and noogies to tie together some wonderful writing that constantly leaves you wondering what's fiction and what's real, with marvelous illustrations, poetry and memoirs. Sometimes subtle, sometimes outrageous, this book will take you on a fascinating journey through this guy's yearnings, fascinations and oddities.

"The Duck Hunter" and "Florida Bound" are beautifully written stories about the South. The accents and remarks of the men on the front porch of the hotel in "Florida Bound" are funny, yet ring true. The ending of that story is terrifying and yet almost poetic.

A good read. I especially liked "The Third Game." I don't play chess, but could easily follow what the author was saying about the game, and about the dangers of success. I liked the way the story dropped back into history for the key, then roared into the climax.

A lover of both variety AND substance, I frequently growl over ingredients missing in many popular literary genres. Short stories vary, scene to scene, but lack the novel's gravitas. Humor and art seem perpetually oil and H2O. Where are those sytheses of prose, poetry, reflections, evocative art that stir my heart? City Heat is surely one.
Following Norman Mailer and Truman Capote (inventors of the "factoid" and the "non-fiction novel" respectively), Will Park has crafted one swell "book-pie," tasty and relevant and personal and poignant. This savory dish melds all that stuff I love, tossed in with some art for relish, a taste of memoir (listen up, Oprah!), a dash of Everyman and several cups of imagination in a melange so rich and compelling as to solicit a swoon if inhaled too fast.
Yet the prospect of reading straight-through is inviting. Each selection is a wonder, reviving new interest while transporting the reader light-years from the previous selection (though City Heat is NOT a work of science fiction--or porn, either, despite the tittilating title).
I was thoroughly satisfied to have touched and been touched by the psyches of kids, warriors, concubines found unexpectedly in swamps, foxholes, asphalt jungles. Wow.

John McGahern captures the music and pathos of Ireland like no other author I have ever read...I am right back on the farm of my youth, or in the middle of a tense conversation I had yesterday.
His sense of the rhythms of season and relationships are so subtle they happen before you notice them
By the time you are finishing 'Like All Other Men' you will be casting the movie.
If you like short story collections, this one will stay on your shelf and eventually become as well-thumbed as my old one that fell apart and needed replacement

This is a good introduction to McGahern's work, who I personally think is under-represented in other short story anthologies.

One of the promos on the cover refers to McGahern as the best Irish short story writer since Joyce. Hmmmm.... not so sure about that for several reasons. I understand that the statement isn't intended to be direct comparison between the two, but it's unfair to both writers and to the reader. I would compare McGahern to the often over-looked Frank O'Connor instead.

While some of the stories included in this collection are set in Dublin, it's the stories set in the country where McGahern's characters, themes, and prose really work best. Like O'Connor, McGahern's best stories allow the reader to "see" what isn't said or what isn't done. It's the absences and the mis-fires between everyday people doing everyday things that resonate so achingly in the best stories in this collection.

I do like that the stories are arranged in such a way so that when a character or set of characters appear in multiple pieces, the reader finds herself pleasantly surprised to encounter someone again after having read about someone or something completely different. This organisation of recurrent characters or settings allowed me to create a mini-novel in my head and to think about the various conflicts, relationships, and absences even after I'd put the book down.

I just wanted to respond to Larry L. Looney's "Bleak, Bleak.." review regarding John McGahern's focus on the grim, which is obviously correct. As for William Trevor, I'd say McGahern is more the unremitting artist-realist (one suggestion is to read his brilliant first novel 'The Barracks') and Trevor (to simplify again) perhaps more the excellent storyteller. One of the greatest differences I think is McGahern's frequent use of dark Irish irony and flashes of wit, both grim and otherwise, in his stories. But I think both authors are very rewarding and tremendously worth exploring.

McGahern writes beautifully, and he obviously has a keen eye - his portraits of the various Irish men and women who populate these stories are well-drawn, and he evokes not only the speech but the total experience of the Irish very well. If only these stories weren't - at least for the most part - so bleak, I could personally enjoy them much more. There's humor to be found within this volume, for sure - but for the most part I found hopelessness and resignation and emptiness and pathos. Far too many of these tales - for my taste - involved people who were living in doubt: doubt about their lives, their loves, their faith, their very place in life, the very land in which they dwell. Doubt is not necessarily a bad thing - it calls us (hopefully) to reassess our beliefs and values, so that we may, when needed, reorder our lives. The doubt that has entered the lives of these characters, however, seems to cover them like a blanket - and rather than struggle with it, they seem to welcome its false warmth, pulling it more tightly about their shoulders.

The stories take place in an Ireland in flux - torn between its spirited yet peaceful, more agrarian past, and the `new' world that encompasses industry and the so-called luxuries of modern life. It's a change that has obviously ripped the very heart and soul out of many of these characters - even the ones whose stories are clearly taking place, more or less, in the present. They inwardly and silently bemoan their state, yet they do nothing about it - and many of them use this dissatisfaction to justify the shallowness and dishonesty of the lives they lead.

All that being said, I did find a good deal of fine reading in this collection - especially the stories `The wine breath' and `Swallows'. For me, these two stand head and shoulders above the rest - but different ones will no doubt appeal to different readers. McGahern's writing is clear and powerful - I certainly wouldn't recommend any reader passing him by. At the same time, I don't think I'd put him on a level with the short stories of James Joyce. For modern Irish stories, I'll take the work of William Trevor any time.

I have McGahern's novel BY THE LAKE - I've read many good things about it, and I look forward very much to reading it. Some things I've read about another novel of his, THE DARK, are intriguing as well.

For anyone that reads, McGahern is an essential reading companion. He speaks for the man in Dublin, single running into middle age, or brimming it, and whose heart is a flutter for a nurse too far, or a far field where a father is dying into a landscape that nobody wants, that nobody values. McGahern maps the difficult transition of Ireland from a largely rural perspective, and then from the rural to urban. A sef confessed Joyce freak, McGahern has tried to emulate Portrait, and Dubliners in his own way. The rain will fall very gently on this mans tombstone.

After learning that a Harvard graduate and Nobel Laureate in Economics, Robert Solow, was encouraged by his high school teacher to read 19th century Russian and French novels, I read this book. Though Pushkin says that he didn't finish high school, the stories in this book were very beautifully written and are intellectually enlightening. I found it interesting that in Leo Tolstoy's Introduction to Anna Karenina, Tolstoy said he was inspired by Pushkin's work and aspired to write as well. Pushkin writes in a tone that conveys love for the reader. It is very beautiful. I enjoyed every minute of this book and would highly recommend it.

The classy look of the hardback cover is just perfect for the treasures inside the book. Thanks!

would put Pushkin in category with Turgenov and Chekov for a good read with a hot cup of tea in front of a roaring fire. Everyman's Library edition offers a decent look at historical Russian window through stories.

Readers seeking an entrée into Russian literature are prime candidates for this prose collection. Pushkin's stories are well-paced--not a word is wasted--and those who look beneath the surface of the writer's refreshingly lucid, taut and unembellished style will find a world that bristles with energy and life.

Among my favorite short stories in this collection were: The Tales of the Late Ivan Petrovich Belkin, The Captain's Daughter and The Queen of Spades. The epistolatory introduction to Tales of Belkin consists of a wry letter from the publisher, which kicks off a hilarious and sweeping commentary on Russian society. Filled with such characters as an arrogant fop, a wistful maiden and a heartbroken father, these poetic stories were beautifully crafted by a bon vivant who, without a doubt, appreciated the art of entertainment. The only selection I didn't care for was The Undertaker, as it struck me as silly, but the rest of Belkin's tales were page-turners. The Captain's Daughter was a heartwarming and often amusing tale of love, persistence and respect, as well as a not-so-oblique commentary on Tsarist aggression: the subject nearly landed young Pushkin in scalding-hot water, too. The protagonist Petr Andreich, who remains callow and a victim of circumstance throughout much of the story, incidentally, reminded me of Pip from Dickens's Great Expectations (Penguin Classics). Finally, Queen of Spades is a poignantly dark and cynical exploration of greed and treachery.

The images this artist pours into his short stories, as well as the plethora of superb scenes and economy of writing he employs, are reminiscent of modern screenwriting, and I suspect even harried readers who are accustomed to a steady diet of film and television will find themselves welcomed here. To wit, several stories struck me as prime candidates for a short film; I'd especially like to see an adaptation of The Shot, one of the five Tales of Belkin. Too bad this Everyman's Library edition isn't available in paperback, although it's probably small and light enough to fit into a travel bag.

Regardless, it's a fine read.

My Titles
Shadow Fields
Snooker Glen

This book contains the major prose works of Aleksandr Pushkin, which include "The Tales of the Late Ivan Petrovich Belkin", "Dubrovskii", "The Queen of Spades", "The Captain's Daughter", and "A History of Pugachev". Also included in the book are many unfinished stories and fragments, which provide some glimpse into what Pushkin was thinking in between the years that he wrote his masterpieces.

Pushkin's stories range from melancholy to humorous to psychological and yet they are all written in a clear, and crisp style that is easy to grasp. Unlike Pushkin's poetry, little is lost in the translation of his prose works from Russian to English and thus we can fully appreciate his genius.

Although all of Pushkin's prose works are excellent, but one that continues to remain in my memory for some reason is "Egyptian Nights". Here the two main characters are Charskii, the nobleman who upholds the aesthetic and personal nature of poetry writing, and the greedy Italian improvisator, who lives by giving public shows and is able to deliver a poem (and quite astonishing at that) on any topic at a moment's notice - but for a fee. Is it possible that Charskii and the Italian both represent different facets of Pushkin's own personality? Anyway, I thought the story ending was erotic and exotic...

Even if you are not interested in Russian literature or in Russian culture in general, I would daresay that you would find it hard to put this collection of stories down after you started reading them.

The only problem that I had was with the publisher. I wish that they had provided a bookcover, because the paint on the outside of the hardcover kept coming off onto my hands!

Crave All, Lose All brings us the story of Vincent Grey. As the book opens, Vince is a young dude, who much to the chagrin of his father makes VERY poor choices. After his father's death, and his subsenquent lay-off, Vince enters the world of hustling, under the tutelage of his longtime friend, Tyriq.

I must admit that initially, I only purchased the book in an effort to support Erick S. Gray, who is one of the hardest grinding authors on the circuit. I never had intentions of reading the book, because I read Nasty Girls, and had mixed feelings about it. However, on a bored day, I picked up Crave All, Lose All and started reading. The book, the characters, and surprisingly enough, Mr. Gray's prose (which I usually find distracting)drew me right in.

Crave All, Lose All paints a very vivid picture of a young guy who is drawn into a world that he knows nothing about. Once inside, he realizes that while he enjoys some parts of the game, he hates others...but it's too late to turn back now. He's in, and the only way out...is death.

This is a good book, by a hard-working author. Respect is yours, Mr. Gray. I give this book 4 and 3/4 stars.

Eric S. Gray has penned an unapologetic urban fiction classic in Crave All Lose All. Although born and raised in the mean streets of Jamaica , Queens, Vincent "Vince" Grey has everything he needs to live a decent, normal life. He has a father to guide and teach him. He has a mother to love and nurture him. He even has a chance to move out and go to college.

Vince goes from an unemployed loser to a independently wealthy gangster with certified street credibility within a few short months. That independence comes at a severe price. With blood on his hands and more than enough money to get out of the game, Vince finds his back up against the wall.

Although Vince is brought into the folds of a organization that poisons black communities for fast money, he quickly outgrows being a middleman for Tyriq. Once Vince becomes a certified connect for a Colombian cartel, the rival Jamaican crew that supplies Tyriq pressures him to erase Vince from the picture and regain control. Death certificates are issued left and right. Old friends quickly become bitter enemies living by the basic rule of the streets: eat or be eaten.

Vince was a character that had many layers. Equal parts love and lust, his relationship with women was a roller coaster at best. This includes how he interacted with every woman from his mother to a stripper he got close to.

The abundance of money usually magnifies a man's weaknesses. From strippers to drug runners and even toTyriq's main squeeze, Vince's lust for fast women seems to overshadow anything else that the game provided him. Although there was steamy sex, there was also the presence of heartache and pain that made Vince a believable character.

I enjoyed the plot twists of Crave All Lose All. The book is filled with sex, drugs and violence, yet it is unpredictable to the end. There are certain things I didn't cover in this review that were totally unexpected and readers will definitely enjoy experiencing on their own.

Joey Pinkney
Unbiased Book Reviewer
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After losing his job from the WTC aftermath and moving in with his mother, Vincent decides to join his long time friend Tyriq and use the fast life to support his child and his baby's momma. Spoon, another longtime friend, warns him about the game, but once he gets a taste, the allure becomes too enticing. The more money he makes, the more Vinceint loses himself and his family. If Vincent doesn't find a way out and fast, he may fall as fast as the life itself. It is hard to work up, but the fall is easier and much shorter.
This book is great and shows how easily a new lifestyle can change not only your life, but those of everyone you love and care for. As you read the book you will continue to wonder how big is Vince going to get in the drug game. You can still see the innocence in him from the beginning of the story, but if we didn't know about the old him you would think he was ruthless. You wont stop wondering when is he going to get out like he promised. Unfortunately he takes too long and loses everything, maybe even his life too.

I truly enjoyed this book from front to back. I could not put this book down. Man, Vincent and his friends were something else.

In the beginning when hip hop was getting its swerve on, there were three friends named Vincent, Spoon, and Tyrik growing up in South Jamaica, Queens. Vincent, being the only one with a father in the household was groomed to succeed through the power of higher education. Spoon, yearning for the sanctity that Vincent takes for granted, found refuge as a child in the home of the Grey's. Tyrik seeks validation as he rises on the streets of Queens.

Unforeseen difficulties attack Vince's perfect life and the path laid for him has become crooked causing him to make major life changing choices. Spoon made a crucial decision and became the sacrificial lamb for his friends at one time, and has been drawn into an act of treason that could possibly end in death. Ascending to kingpin status, Tyrik is craftily laying out a plan for all and when the cards are laid upon the table, who shall rise and who shall fall?

Mr. Gray has skillfully penned this intriguing novel of the friendship of three men in today's society. Will they be able to ride the wave or succumb to the tide? Very good read!! Upon completing this enjoyable read, I was still left to ponder different aspects of this read, but Mr. Gray gives hope in finding answers in the sequel. I highly recommend it! Fabulous job Mr. Gray! 4.5 stars!

Great service. Condition of book was stellar and it was delivered in a very timely manner.

"The Dancing Girl of Izu and Other Stories" is an odd collection of sorts, mixing an elegant, straight-forward short story together with some autobiography and a fluttering of palm-of-the-hand tales. Each element contributes a unique flavor, and a different facet of Kawabata's style.

J. Martin Holman proves himself again a master translator of Kawabata, retaining the flow and most importantly the feeling of the originals, far more than other translators I have read. The only flaw I found was that he splits the book into two sections, which I personally found a bit jarring. I think it more naturally flows into three distinct chapters.

"The Dancing Girl of Izu" is as fine a short story as you are likely to read anywhere. Every necessary element is contained, with no superfluous decoration. It is heartbreaking in its subtlety, and masterful in its craft. Everything important is unsaid. Kawabata can manipulate emotions so deeply using so little, leaving the reader with an aching emptiness as great as that of the narrator. Beautiful, and fully worth the cost of the collection alone.

"Diary of my Sixteenth Year," "Oil," "The Master of Funerals" and "Gathering Ashes" are four short autobiographical sketches of Kawabata's relationship with his only relative, a blind grandfather who would figure into several tales. Not factual per se, but true impressions. They present an intimate portrait of youth trying to understand the aged, of responsibility and resentment of responsibility, and of the numbness of death. The stories are presented as recovered diary accounts Kawabata wrote when he was 16, and they may be so. I believe the feelings, and that is enough.

The third section contains the 18 remaining unpublished palm-of-the-hand stories, Kawabata's personal trademark and contribution to literature. A page or three at the most, each story functions like a Zen koan, a story or riddle with no obvious meaning used as a contemplation tool by meditating monks to clear their minds and make them go hmmm...as they try to decipher. Koans have been called "extremely brief vignettes enabling the individual to hold entire universes of thought in mind all at once," and I think this sums it up nicely. Do not attempt to decipher these palm-of-the-hand stories, but instead read them and feel them and go hmm...

This is an interesting mix of Yasunari Kawabata's early work, well before he was Japan's literary superstar, and well before the works that would ultimately win him the Nobel prize. The title story (I can't say titular, can I?) is of a college student's crush on the youngest member of a dancing troup. Most likely autobiographical, it leaves the reader sharing Kawabata's youthful loneliness. The second larger short story (there's no better way to describe it) is Diary of My Sixteenth Year, which covers the disappating love of a youth and his dying grandfather.

The remaining stories are much shorter, ranging from 3 to 10 pages each. Birthplace is an interesting story of abandonment and leaving one's home behind. Burning the Pine Boughs is as much about reading between the lines as reading what's on the page. Oil is a deep work of overcoming childhood loss.

Three common themes permeate these stories. First is the idea of an imperfect, sour or unatainable love. Second is the idea that at least somehow many of them are autobiographical. Third is that much is left unsaid in the stories. In a sense they are a prose form of Zen art, where what is unsaid can be more important than what is put to paper. Despite being distinct, one can read inferences between the stories (the hands for prayer in both Master of Funerals and Hands, for example) and perhaps that is enough to tie them all together.

Although Snow Country is commonly referred to as Kawabata's greatest accomplishment, these stories were more accessible and emotionally powerful.

I recently read this collection of short (with the emphasis on "short") stories. This set of stories are very autobiographical; especially in the first part. The title story is a tale of young love. The message that came through to me was the innocence of the attraction of the two main characters. After that came a touching diary that told of the relationship of a teenage boy and the elderly, invalid grandfather who raised him. It reminded me of my relationship with my own grandfather. The other sketches were worth reading as well and most were only two or three short pages in length. There is certainly a poetic style in Kawabata's works. This particular collection is a good introduction to the writer.

Although Kawabata is most often associated with his better than good Palm-of-the-hand stories, I don't view them as my favorate Kawabata work. The Dancing Girl of Izu (mandatory reading for Japanese Junior High School Students) is a sort of coming of age story that made me step back and reflect. The semi-autobiographical work is tender, heart warming, and a keen glimpse into Japanese life. If you have read and enjoyed earlier works of this author I would strongly suggest this collection to you. If you have yet to discover Kawabata, I say there's no better place to start!