The Short Story: The Reality of Artifice (Genres in Context) [Paperback]

Charles May (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 041593883X | ISBN-13: 978-0415938839 | Publication Date: January 2, 2002 | Edition: 1

The short story is one of the most difficult types of prose to write and one of the most pleasurable to read. From Boccaccio's Decameron to The Collected Stories of Reynolds Price, Charles May gives us an understanding of the history and structure of this demanding form of fiction. Beginning with a general history of the genre, he moves on to focus on the nineteenth-century when the modern short story began to come into focus. From there he moves on to later nineteenth-century realism and early twentieth-century formalism and finally to the modern renaissance of the form that shows no signs of abating. A chronology of significant events, works and figures from the genre's history, notes and references and an extensive bibliographic essay with recommended reading round out the volume.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

By a well-known critic of the genre, a general survey of the history and properties of the short story from its genesis in the mist-shrouded early history of literature to its alive-and-kicking state today. This book deserves a place in any public library literature collection because good critical guides to the short story are few and far between, and this one is excellent. Chapter one, appropriately entitled "Overview," reaches back to Boccaccio and Cervantes to find the short story's roots, then succeeding chapters focus on the nineteenth century, when the short story in what we recognize as its modern form began, and move on to the twentieth century, during which it has grown into maturity as a literary form with full integrity. Along the way, May not only discusses important writers but identifies important trends and movements. An appended list of recommended titles wraps up May's edifying presentation. Brad Hooper --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

Good critical guides to the short story are few and far between, and this one is excellent.
–Booklist

Arguing that short fiction secularizes mythic perception, May provides both an account of generic change and incisive readings of canonical authors and specific stories. One of the book's greatest merits is its concluding bibliographic essay, which will be indispensable to students new to the short story as well as scholars familiar with the field.
--Michael Trussler.
–I^{he Private Voice}

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 1 edition (January 2, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 041593883X
• ISBN-13: 978-0415938839
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 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: #1,101,493 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Charles May was born and raised in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky. After receiving his Ph.D. degree from Ohio University, he taught literature at California State University, Long Beach for 40 years, retiring in 2006. His academic and critical interest is the short story form, on which he has published several books and several hundred articles and reviews. He published his first short story in Appalachian Heritage in 2009. It can be read at: http://community.berea.edu/appalachianheritage/issues/summer2009/charlesmay.pdf His blog, "Reading the Short Story," is at may-on-the-short-story.blogspot.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best scholars on short story theory, July 4, 2009

By 

Flávio (Belo Horizonte, Brazil) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Short Story: The Reality of Artifice (Genres in Context) (Paperback)

This is not the first time I read Charles E. May. I had read two other articles from "The New Short Story Theories", edited by himself: "The Nature of Knowledge in Short Fiction" and "Chekhov and the Modern Short Story". Both articles and this book I've just bought are being very useful and helpful in the writings of my master's degree thesis on "The genre problem and the short-short story". Charles E. May is a great scholar on short story theory. He goes deep but is very clear in what he writes. I am very thankful to him.