The New Short Story Theories
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Book Overview
The first edition of May's Short Story Theories (1976) opened with an essay entitled "The Short Story: An Underrated Art." Almost two decades later, the short story suffers no such slight. Publishers and critics have become increasingly interested in the form, which has enjoyed a renaissance led by such writers as Raymond Carver, Tobias Wolff, Ann Beattie, Bobbie Ann Mason, and Mary Robison. An important part of this revival of interest, Short Story Theories has continued to attract a strong and loyal audience among students and teachers.
The New Short Story Theories includes a few basic pieces from the earlier volume-Poe's Hawthorne review, Brander Matthew's extension and formalization of Poe's theories, and essays by Randall Jarrell, Elizabeth Bowen, and Nadine Gordimer-but most of the essays are new to the collection. Addressing problems of definition, historical considerations, issues of technique, and cognitive approaches, essays include:"The Tale as Genre in Short Story Fiction," by W. S. Penn
"O. Henry and the Theory of the Short Story," by Suzanne C. Ferguson
"On Writing," by Raymond Carver
"From Tale to Short Story," by Robert F. Marler
"A Cognitive Approach to Storyness," by Susan Lohafer May's new collection will continue to highlight the short story, to provoke debate, and to enrich our experience of a demanding and rewarding literary form.
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:0821410873
ISBN13:9780821410875
Release Date:July 1994
Publisher:Ohio University Press
Length:363 Pages
Weight:1.10 lbs.
Dimensions:0.9" x 6.0" x 9.0"
Customer Reviews
3 ratings
Perhaps the bible of short story theory
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 15 years ago
It's the best book for researchers on short story theory. Charles E. May is a clever editor and a great writer. His articles are deep and clear. His editting shows a careful selection of articles which obey a logical sequence being all intertwined and interconnected. I do recommend the book for undergraduate students of literature as well as for graduate students.
For understanding, not writing, short stories
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 22 years ago
In short (pun intended), this is one of the two or three best books out there on the theory of short story (see also _Short Story Theory at a Crossroads_ ed. by Lohafer and Clarey). There are countless books out there for helping you craft your own short fiction. This book is not for that, nor does it make any claims to this purpose.Instead, it is an excellent, critical look at the history and current state of the genre of the short story. If this is at all your interest, you must have this book.Please disregard John Jr's review, for it is "almost useless" as far as this book is concerned.
Great book, but difficult
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 24 years ago
John Jr (below) obviously has a little chip on his shoulder about writing theory and probably about academia.No, this is not a how-to book filled with exercises and tips and explanations of different techniques. It is a book for the advanced student or writer, and discusses issues involved with the short story, placing the form in assorted contexts and dissecting it from those positions. It is not easy reading, but neither is it impregnable to the thoughtful reader. It will not tell you how to write short stories, but it will provide you with intelligent ways of thinking about them, and hence, being more disciplined and perhaps original in your work.
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