Customer Reviews

The Oil Jar and Other Stories (Dover Thrift Editions)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I looked into Pirandello because of his fame as a Nobel Prize winning author. I read "The Late Mattia Pascal" which was OK but nothing special. I came across a book of his short stories titled "The Naked Truth" and I became immediately aware of the power of this author. I realized that he is known for his plays but these stories of the rural Sicilian society were outstanding. I immediately sent for this book to pick up where the others left off. Unfortunately, these stories are not in the same class as the others. They are OK but, after reading the other book, I felt let down. Still there is some good writing in here. I did enjoy "It's not to be Taken Seriously" and several others. However, these stories seemed more of mainland Italian urban society and, thus, lacked the unique flavor of the others. I suggest you read this book and pay special attention to the story "The Fly". It was the one story from the other book that was repeated in this one. In it I believe you will see the type of story I previously found so impressive.

This tiny booklet of short stories offers wonderful vignettes of 19th century life in Sicily. The characters come alive and some of the stories remind me of my late grandparents' tales about villagers in the "old country". Especially nice booklet for people of Sicilian descent.

Not-Hard stories that anyone of just about any mental capacity can read and understand, I liked it for that. Great stories, stories pretty much based on the most common tales of humanity and society, but with an interesting twist. I rated it a 4 primarily for what it offers to a lot of people, the opportunity to read well written novelettes, and because its not quite a 5 (its no Les Miserables or War and Peace) but still enjoyable!

These short stories are a strange Surreal landscape of humor and characterization.
There is virtue in this capture of a culture and a time in words.
These are some of the best short stories of this period that I've read.
I'm glad they weren't overworked in to parts of a novel
as is the custom today.

I had to read these stories for one of my classes, and I really liked it. The stories were impeccable and Pirandello was a brilliant story-teller. A book that I could read again and again.