Homely Girl, A Life: And Other Stories [Paperback]

Arthur Miller (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1997

In his long career, Arthur Miller has charted some of the most hidden aspects of the American character, and made us recognize ourselves. With Homely Girl, A Life, he turns his attention to a smaller, more intimate, canvas, but one that in its deceptive delicacy still encompasses a vast range of human fears, ambitions, and desires. Janice—the eponymous homely girl—has hated her face ever since she was a child and her mother held up Ivory Snow advertisements to her, saying, "Now that is beauty." Homely she is, but also fiercely herself. Still,it is not until she falls in love with a blind musician that she feels her full nature unfold in this exquisite portrait of a woman finding a language to describe herself.

Flanked by two stories also set in Manhattan, "Fame" and "Fitter's Night," Homely Girl, A Life pays homage to a city constantly reinventing itself—and to the classic Miller themes of work, honor, and identity.

"Chekhovian . . . deserves praising to the top of the highest skyscraper for its humanity, wit, depth" —A.N. Wilson

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The second short-fiction collection by the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright features two novellas and a short story.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Although he is one of the most important playwrights of the 20th century, Miller's prose work remains relatively unknown. This collection of three short stories is to be published in conjunction with his 80th birthday (October 17). The stories, two of which have been published previously, explore the same basic themes that permeate his dramatic works-identity, honor, and work. In the title piece a woman whose mother rather disparagingly compared her with a model in an Ivory Soap ad ("Now that's a beauty") struggles to find herself against a backdrop of 1930s Socialist chic conformity. It is not until she meets and marries a blind musician that she begins to blossom. The two remaining stories (both written in 1966) are also gems of characterization. While prose is not what Miller will be remembered for, he exhibits in this collection an adroitness with the medium. Publicity surrounding his birthday should generate renewed interest in his corpus, making purchase of this collection a good choice for public libraries, as well as academic libraries wanting to offer comprehensive coverage of Miller's life's work.
David W. Henderson, Eckerd Coll. Lib., St. Petersburg, Fla.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) (January 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140252797
• ISBN-13: 978-0140252798
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,320,453 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Arthur Miller (1915-2005) was born in New York City in 1915 and studied at the University of Michigan. He was awarded the Avery Hopwood Award for Playwrighting at University of Michigan in 1936. He twice won the New York Drama Critics Circle Award, received two Emmy awards and three Tony Awards for his plays, as well as a Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement. He also won an Obie award, a BBC Best Play Award, the George Foster Peabody Award, a Gold Medal for Drama from the National Institute of Arts and Letters, the Literary Lion Award from the New York Public Library, the John F. Kennedy Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Algur Meadows Award. He received honorary degrees from Oxford University and Harvard University and was awarded the Prix Moliere of the French theatre, the Dorothy and Lillian Gish Lifetime Achievement Award and the Pulitzer Prize, as well as numerous other awards. He was named the Jefferson Lecturer for the National Endowment for the Humanities in 2001. He was awarded the 2002 Prince of Asturias Award for Letters and the 2003 Jerusalem Prize.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Quick, accessible stories; unique, interesting conflicts, August 6, 2004

By 

John Sanzi (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Homely Girl, A Life: And Other Stories (Paperback)

I'd say that the three stories in this book share a common theme: what "success in life" versus "failure in life" means.

The first story recounts the personal history of a woman who happens to be physically unattractive. And since other forms of beauty are even rarer than physical beauty, she runs the risk of being a "failure in life"--insofar as beauty always eludes her. But then, one day, she encounters a very beautiful thing and she melds with it, changing her world.

The next story is a snapshot of the surreal life of a popular celebrity, showing the possibility of having too MUCH "success in life." The story is kind of a gag, but intriguing. By the time it's over, your increasing sympathy may silence your laughs.

The last story is action-oriented: shipfitters braving harsh elements to make vital repairs on a Navy destroyer. The chief shipfitter is arguably a "failure in life." However, the story reveals that his faults aren't his own; they are the faults of his community. The story also suggests that people with "success in life," like the ship's Captain, probably owe their victories to others.

This book is yet another thought-provoking work of art by America's finest writer.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A mixed bag of short stories, September 7, 1999

By 

R. Bartlett "REB" (Boston MA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Homely Girl, A Life: And Other Stories (Paperback)

This collection of three stories by Miller is worth reading for the last story in the book alone, "Fitter's Night." This is a superb story, the kind of short story you could imagine a great dramatist might write. The first story - "Homely Girl" is confused and not up to the mark. The second story, "Fame" is unfortunately a rather easy joke. So skip these (or read them quickly) and go straight to the last one. It is a story that will stay with you for a long time to come.

4.0 out of 5 stars Life, March 25, 2005

By 

JMack (Chicago) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Homely Girl: And Other Stories (Hardcover)

As a tremendous fan of Arthur Miller, I have made it a goal to read everything he has published. That being said, I can put this collection of short stories in perspective in relation to his other work. I would suggest this collection of short stories is plain and unspectacular compared to anything else of Miller's I have read.

Each of the stories lack much in the way of plot, but they are intended to a be a sample of life. The first story, "Homely Girl, A Life" is about a less than pretty girl's struggle to find her place in the world. As if often the case in Miller's work, the woman lead is a flawed and sexaully promiscuous character. Her conflict seems unresolved except for her gaining acceptance for her appearance from some men. The second story, "Fame" is arguably the best. It is a brief and perhaps somewhat autobiographical story of a writer coming to grips with his celebrity status. Miller portrays the public is a negative light in this story. The last story, "Fitter's Night" is the one I enjoyed least. The story describes the life of a ship worker who can see himself as a hero only when he realizes the flaws in the members of his community. Much of the story is focused on a crisis at the ship yard in which a ship needs major repairs. Not being familiar with the lingo of the ship yard, I found these parts hard to read. Because Miller is a former ship worker, he has much more expertise in ship repair than his readers.

I greatly enjoy Miller's work, but this is not up to par with some of his other writing. If you can afford not own every Arthur Miller work, this might be the one to skip.