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Short

An International Anthology of Five Centuries of Short-Short Stories, Prose Poems, Brief Essays, and Other Short Prose Forms
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( 152 ratings, 24 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Short is a comprehensive anthology exploring the myriad forms of short prose. Spanning five centuries and featuring over 200 contributors from 24 Western countries, it defies strict definitions by including prose poems, flash fiction, brief essays, fables, anecdotes, aphorisms, and more. This eclectic collection showcases works under 1250 words by major authors such as Montaigne, Kafka, Woolf, Borges, Beckett, Atwood, and many others, providing a richly varied and intensely pleasurable reading experience.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This anthology is ideal for readers fascinated by experimental and diverse short-form literature, scholars of prose across eras, and anyone interested in the breadth of literary expression within concise works.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

Short offers the tradition and glorious present of these popular forms that stretch and defy genre. From 1500 to present, hundreds of pieces. Inventive, entertaining, and addictive.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Short prose forms are elusive to define—one writer's prose poem is another's flash fiction or brief essay. Rather than quibble, Short opts for inclusiveness.

Here is a dazzling array: hundreds of pieces (under 1250 words) from 24 Western countries, written over five centuries by more than 200 contributors, including major authors of every era. Fables, histories, aphorisms, anecdotes, faux dictionary entries, a faux job application, hint fiction, lists, tableaus, meditations, chants, rants, and much more. Intensely pleasurable.

Contributors include: Montaigne, von Kleist, Leopardi, Poe, Baudelaire, Bierce, Chopin, Stein, Jacob, Woolf, Kafka, J. Roth, Toomer, Borges, Queneau, Kunitz, Beckett, Milosz, Cortazar, Paz, Barthes, Calvino, O'Hara, Merwin, Lispector, Transtromer, Sanchez, Edson, Simic, Atwood, Valenzuela, Wideman, L. Davis, Komunyakaa, A. Carson, Forche, Harjo, Hempel, Wenderoth, Keret, B. Marcus, A. Bender, Eggers, B. Lerner, T. Brimhall.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Critics praise Short for its impressive scope and meticulous curation. The San Francisco Book Review highlights its comprehensive cross-section of short-form prose and its ability to capture the diversity and creativity of brief works spanning humour to heartbreak. HTMLGiant commends editor Alan Ziegler for his expertise, while the American Book Review describes the collection as an enticing exploration of the pleasures found in brief, compressed literature.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780892554324

Publisher: Persea Books Inc

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 26 March 2014

Country: United States

Imprint: Persea Books Inc

Contributors:

  • Edited by Alan Ziegler

Audience: Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 25.0mm

Width: 137.0mm

Height: 211.0mm

Weight: 400g

Pages: 368

About the Author

Alan Ziegler's books include Love at First Sight and The Writing Workshop Note Book. Professor of Writing at Columbia University, he has taught the short prose form for twenty-five years. He lives in New York.

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