Selected Works of Stephen Vincent Benet [Hardcover]

Stephen Vincent Benet (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: Henry Holt & Co; First edition (July 1942)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0030285305
• ISBN-13: 978-0030285301
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.9 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,742,763 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars NO, January 1, 2011

By 

Mereoie - See all my reviews

This review is from: Selected Works of Stephen Vincent Benet (Hardcover)

I've loved this book all my life, and needed another copy for my summer place. I love reading Devil & Daniel Webster aloud to the grandchildren.

7 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars good short stories, January 13, 2005

By 

Smallchief - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Selected Works of Stephen Vincent Benet (Hardcover)

Volume one consists of 22 short stories and one short novel by Benet. Volume two consist of poetry, most of which I have not read.

After 30 years or so, I reread many of the short stories in this volume. His most famous story "The Devil and Daniel Webster" is still superb and should be included in every high school American Literature course. Perhaps it still is, although the ACLU has probably petitioned for the removal of TDADW from classes on the ground that the Devil is a character and the story promotes religion.

Benet is an unabashed patriot, a liberal, and a humanist. The stories in the book deal with American history, tales of our time (i.e. the 1930s), and "fantasies and prophesies." One of the most interesting stories in the latter category is the apocalyptic tale "The Waters of Babylon." While its message may be familiar to us now, the story was written before the Atomic bomb and thus was highly original -- and shocking -- in its day.

Most of the other stories in the book are good, clever stories but not essential reading. Therefore, somewhat sadly, I conclude that Benet doesn't deserve the highest rating -- although "The Devil and Daniel Webster" should be included in any collection of best American short stories.

Smallchief

7 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A collection of some of the finest poems and short stories., January 29, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Selected Works of Stephen Vincent Benet (Hardcover)

This book contains poems and short stories by Stephen Vincent Benet. His works make you think, and include some of the most entertaining stories ever told.