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This past week I’ve read three shorts, each of them by current writers. Two I came across for free on amazon.com, and one is by a fellow blogger who aspires to be a writer. I stumbled across her blog quite by accident and I hope to keep up with her short stories and poetry. 
“Evergreen A Christmas Tale” by Richard Taylor
This was a rather sweet story lined with pathos. It has a story within a story — one that speaks of the origin of the very first christmas tree. It begins with a grandfather trying to break a fight among his grandsons, and he retells this story of love, sacrifice and everlasting joy between two people of long ago.
“One More Winter” by Rebecca K O’Connor
This story is about a woman trying to come to terms with her husband’s death once and for all. She reaches the end of this process when she helps a stranger deal with the death of her favourite dog. I found this story rather slow and it didn’t touch me in any way. I found myself waiting to get it over and done with. Perhaps I didn’t approach in the right frame of mind?
“Where Fairies Come to Die” by Louise Jacques
As I mentioned above, I just stumbled across Llouise’s blog and was intrigued enough to read one out of the many short stories and poems she has written. This particular story was so well-written, sharp and vividly descriptive as two lovers have their final moments with eachother before being forced to part because he has to flee the coming wrath of the Nazi-brotherhood he betrayed when he saved his Jewish lover. I really enjoyed this brief piece. Louise scatters a few phrases from Keats throughout the narrative, and I was drawn in by her style. (online text)
So, that’s what I’ve been reading. I think I should get back to reading Murakami and Poe soon. I’ve been feeling a bit guilty about neglecting those guys!
What have you folk been reading this past week?
I love your theme of short stories on Wednesday,I have started reading Dark Crossings, it’s a collection of short stories by Sean Platt, will share how it is next Wednesday
Thank you Veehcirra!
I’ve never heard of Sean Platt. Would love to read your review and be introduced to a new author!
Welcome!:)
I just read “where fairies come to die” and it is lovely. This week was a Fitzgerald fest for me.
http://kafkatokindergarten.blogspot.com/2011/12/short-stories-on-wednesday-jazz-age.html
I just read Journey into Christmas by Bess Streeter Aldrich. It was lovely.
http://lettersfromahillfarm.blogspot.com/2011/12/short-stories-on-wednesdays-journey.html
My “featured story” this week was Agatha Christie’s The Red Signal, but I also read a couple novellas, Stephen King’s “A Good Marriage” (which I’ve also posted about) and Chess Story by Stefan Zweig (excellent, by the way).
I will check out Louise’s blog when I get done with this comment. Thanks for pointing it out to us!
I hadn’t heard of Taylor or O’Connor, and may not be likely to check them out (well, at least O’Connor anyway) based upon your reaction.
Check out my post at:
http://bibliophilica.wordpress.com/2011/12/14/short-story-of-wednesday-the-red-signal/
-Jay
This week I wrote about “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor and “Haircut” by Ring Lardner.
http://thesilloftheworld.blogspot.com/2011/12/good-short-fiction-good-man-is-hard-to.html
Louise Jacques’s story especially sounds interesting – thanks for pointing it out.
‘Where Fairies Come To Die’ sounds really interesting – I think I’m going to have to give that one a read now. Thanks for telling us about it!
I have contributed this week! Woohoo! Here’s my post:
http://www.lifebetweenpages.net/2011/12/short-stories-on-wednesdays-3.html
It’s been a while, Risa, hope you’re well!
I shall definitely check out Louis’s blog – it sounds great. I wasn’t so keen on my story this week
It’s a vampire tale by Walter Mosley, called Juvenal Nyx.
http://sophiasbookblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/short-story-juvenal-nyx-by-walter.html
This week I read an amazing short story by a writer I have just begun to read, Maxim Gorky, “Twenty Six and One”-a powerful look at life in a late Czarist era Russian bakery factory
here is the link to my post on it
http://rereadinglives.blogspot.com/2011/12/twenty-six-and-one-by-maxim-gorky.html
I also read “The Mansion Tellier” by Guy de Maupassant-some say it is the best of his 180 or so short stories-
Hi! I read two Russian short stories this week: “The Cloak,” by Nikolai Gogol and “The District Doctor,” by Ivan Turgenev.
http://averydisorientedreader.wordpress.com/2011/12/14/short-stories-on-wednesday-december-14/
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