Fiction: A Pocket Anthology (Penguin Academics) [Paperback]

R. S. Gwynn (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0321366328 | ISBN-13: 978-0321366320 | Publication Date: June 2, 2006 | Edition: 5th

The perfect alternative to lengthy fiction anthologies, this brief, inexpensive, and diverse collection of 42 short stories provides a concise yet complete introduction to the study of fiction. Chronologically organized, the diverse selection includes the discipline's most popular short stories.  An “Introduction to Fiction” provides an overview of the genre, defining key literary terms in context.  “Writing about Fiction” offers instruction for writing essays and covers MLA style citation.  Biographical headnotes highlight common themes and ideas in the author’s body of work.   Individuals who want a brief overview of the study of poetry.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Compact yet complete–and always at a reasonable price!

For more than 60 years, instructors and their students have looked to Penguin trade paperbacks for state-of-the-art scholarship, accessibility, and fair prices. Longman, Penguin’s sister company, aims to meet those same expectations with textbooks in our series Penguin Academics.

We’ve created the Penguin Academics series with ease of use in mind–the books are conveniently portable and highly readable, with engaging typefaces and interior designs. Concise yet thorough in their coverage of the basics, Penguin Academics titles are ideal for use either by themselves or in combination with other books. A list of related Penguin paperbacks can be found at the back of this and every Penguin Academics title.
 

The ideal alternative to longer anthologies, this brief, affordable, and diverse collection of

short stories from the past three centuries provides a concise yet comprehensive introduction to the study of fiction.  In keeping with the objectives of the Penguin Academics series, Fiction: A Pocket Anthology offers a range of widely admired stories from 19^th, 20^th and 21^st century authors in a quality trade-format book at an affordable price. 

 

[Fiction] is a handy anthology that has the best selection of readings that I have seen in an anthology. And all this without being overwhelming!

Shazia Ali, Eastfield College, TX

 

The stories [are] an excellent group of old and new, of men and women, of canonical chestnuts and the modern multicultural voices we need to hear.  The Introduction is a superb addition to the anthology that will help any instructor teach the tales, the critical language of fiction, and how to write about the stories.  Finally, the size [makes this book] easily held in the hand!

Michael Chappell, Western Connecticut State University

 

The book’s greatest feature is that it argues that ethnic, national, and gender diversity are what make the canon of short fiction such a vital part of literature.  I love the way this anthology manages to include the best of the best short stories [while incorporating] the diverse voices that are so important to the genre.

Stephen Tuttle, Brigham Young University

 

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

R. S. Gwynn has edited several other books, including Drama: A Pocket Anthology; Poetry: A Pocket Anthology; Literature: A Pocket Anthology; Inside Literature: Reading, Responding, Writing (with Steven Zani); The Art of the Short Story (with Dana Gioia); and Contemporary American Poetry: A Pocket Anthology (with April Lindner).  He has also authored five collections of poetry, including No Word of Farewell: Selected Poems, 1970-2000. He has been awarded the Michael Braude Award for verse from the American Academy of Arts and Letters.  Gwynn is University Professor of English and Poet-in-Residence at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 480 pages
• Publisher: Longman; 5th edition (June 2, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0321366328
• ISBN-13: 978-0321366320
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,042,429 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent anthology of short stories, June 28, 2002

By 

J. Hutchins (Anchorage, AK USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fiction: A Pocket Anthology (3rd Edition) (Paperback)

pp.31 YOUNG GOODMAN BROWN--Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864)
pp.44 THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER--Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849)
pp.63 MOTHER SAVAGE--Guy de Maupassant (1850-1893)
pp.70 THE STORY OF AN HOUR--Kate Chopin (1851-1904)
pp.73 AN UPHEAVAL--Anton Chekhov (1860-1904)
pp.81 ROMAN FEVER--Edith Wharton (1862-1937)
pp.94 PAUL'S CASE--Willa Cather (1873-1947)
pp.113 EVELINE--James Joyce (1882-1941)
pp.118 THE ROCKING-HORSE WINNER--D.H. Lawrence (1885-1930)
pp.133 THE JILTING OF GRANNY WEATHERALL--Katherine Ann Porter (1890-1980)
pp.142 SWEAT--Zora Neale Hurston (1891-1960)
pp.154 A ROSE FOR EMILY--William Faulkner (1897-1961)
pp.164 HILLS LIKE WHITE ELEPHANTS--Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961)
pp.169 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK--Jorge Luis Borges (1899-1986)
pp.175 THE CHRYSANTHEMUMS--John Steinbeck (1902-1968)
pp.186 THE MAN WHO WAS ALMOST A MAN--Richard Wright (1908-1960)
pp.198 LIVVIE--Eudora Welty (B. 1909)
pp.212 REUINON--John Cheever (1912-1982)
pp.215 THE GUEST--Albert Camus (1913-1960)
pp.228 A PARTY DOWN AT THE SQUARE--Ralph Ellison (1914-1995)
pp.235 THE LOTTERY--Shirley Jackson (1919-1965)
pp.244 A GOOD MAN IS HARD TO FIND--Flannery O'Connor (1925-1964)
pp.260 A VERY OLD MAN WITH ENORMOUS WINGS--Gabriel García Márquez (B. 1928)
pp.267 DEAD MAN'S PATH--Chinua Achebe (B. 1930)
pp.271 VANDALS--Alice Munro (B. 1931)
pp.297 A & P--John Updike (B. 1932)
pp.304 A SMALL, GOOD THING--Raymond Carver (1938-1988)
pp.327 WHERE ARE YOU GOING, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?--Joyce Carol Oates (B. 1938)
pp.344 HAPPY ENDINGS--Margaret Atwood (B. 1939)
pp.348 SHILOH--Bobbie Ann Mason (B. 1940)
pp.362 EVERYDAY USE--Alice Walker (B. 1944)
pp.371 DIED AND GONE TO VEGAS--Tim Gautreaux (B. 1947)
pp.388 LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE--Dagoberto Gilb (B. 1950)
pp.399 TWO KINDS--Amy Tan (B. 1952)
pp.410 BARBIE-Q--Sandra Cisneros (B. 1954)
pp.412 THE RED CONVERTIBLE--Louise Erdrich (B. 1954)
pp.422 HOW TO TALK TO YOUR MOTHER (NOTES)--Lorrie Moore (B. 1954)

I bought this anthology used and it was obviously a former text book. I really enjoy it. While I greatly appreciate and adore full-length classic literature, short stories are a wonderful compromise for the times you don't want to be fully involved in a novel and neither want to read twaddle. Great authors with little commitment.

Editor R.S. Gwynn has chosen really wonderful samplings from a rather wide range of writers. Many women, non-whites, non-English-speakers... et cetera, should that aspect concern you. Each piece is prefaced with a short, non-intrusive biography of the author.

Certainly, authors/stories are absent, but I don't think it detracts from the value of this collection. It really is a lovely little book into which to nestle.

3.0 out of 5 stars A great collection though overpriced., September 17, 2009

By 

Silly Christy - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Fiction A Pocket Anthology (Penguin Academics) (6th Edition) (Paperback)

The collected works here are fantastic. Unfortunately it is well over-priced. This anthology is required reading for a class I am taking so in order to save frustration in searching out each individual title I purchased the book. But had it been available at the library I would have checked it out instead.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very rewarding!, January 7, 2011

By 

Tracy - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Fiction A Pocket Anthology (Penguin Academics) (6th Edition) (Paperback)

Wonderful collection of the most important short stories in this century.

The delivery is late, though! But I'm in Asia, so it's fine.

Highly recommended!