Over by the River and Other Stories (Nonpareil Book) [Paperback]

William Maxwell (Author)

Book Description

Series: Nonpareil Book | Publication Date: September 1, 1984

Twelve stories by the award-winning author of So Long, See You Tomorrow.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Twelve stories by the award-winning author of So Long, See You Tomorrow. These stories seem to tell themselves, with each precisely observed detail or snatch of talk snapped home like a design on tinware." --The New York Times

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: David R Godine (September 1, 1984)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879235411
• ISBN-13: 978-0879235413
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #719,425 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Short Stories, May 7, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Over by the River and Other Stories (Nonpareil Book) (Paperback)

"Over By the River" is a collection of twelve short stories by William Maxwell, written over five decades, from 1941 to 1984. As arranged in this volume, it seems to me that they grow in power and quality from first to last. Notes on the stories' dates of composition would have been welcome - maybe they've been arranged chronologically? The title story, presented first, seemed to me rather longish and unfocused, but with an interesting structure. Among my favorite stories were two - "The Pilgrimage" and "The Gardens of Mont-Saint-Michel" - about people vacationing France, who in each case try to relive a past experience and fail, but find something unexpected when they've given up. Others are "The Value of Money", a touching story in which a young man realizes for the first time how much his father means to him, and "What Every Boy Should Know", in which a young boy learns early lessons in betrayal and loss.

These are unflashy, domestic, stories, told with great skill and sympathy. Maxwell constructs amazingly rich miniature worlds, assembling lots of detail on a small canvas. Enjoy this collection of gems by a master storyteller.