The Selected Stories of Merce Rodoreda [Paperback]

Merce Rodoreda (Author), Martha Tennent (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 28, 2011

“The humor in the stories, as well as their thrill of realism, comes from a Nabokovian precision of observation and transformation of plain experience into enchanting prose.”—Los Angeles Times

Collected here are thirty of Mercè Rodoreda’s most moving and inventive stories, presented in chronological order of their publication from three of Rodoreda’s most beloved short-story collections: "Twenty-Two Stories," "It Seemed Like Silk and Other Stories," and "My Christina and Other Stories." These short fictions capture Rodoreda’s full range of expression, from quiet literary realism to fragmentary impressionism to dark symbolism. Few writers have captured so clearly, or explored so deeply, the lives of women who are stuck somewhere between senseless modernity and suffocating tradition—Rodoreda’s “women are notable for their almost pathological lack of volition, but also for their acute sensitivity, a nearly painful awareness of beauty” (Natasha Wimmer).

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Rodoreda (Death in Spring) died at age 75 in 1983, and these passionate stories, selected from her three collections, are set mostly in unnamed provincial European towns and plunge the reader into a narrative maelstrom of longing and loss. Women agonizing in love, characters waiting for life to open to them, wives stricken by the faithlessness of adored husbands, the unsuspecting husband of "Nocturnal" who is pulled into a German wartime drinking fest on the way to finding a phone to call a doctor for his sick wife—these are Rodoreda's troubled protagonists. In "Threaded Needle," a frustrated seamstress frets at the passing of time without a husband and secure future in sight, allowing herself to imagine killing the sick cousin she has been saddled with the care of; he has promised to leave her his inheritance. In "Friday, June 8" a homeless girl ties a rock around her newborn baby's neck—the product of a rape—and tosses it into a river. These are riveting tales by a master in the trenches. (Feb.)
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From Booklist

This haunting selection of 30 short stories by acclaimed Catalan writer Rodoreda (1908�83) addresses the gritty complexities of life and longing, capturing elements of both chaos and calm resolution. Rodoreda�s diverse protagonists often seek out love to repair their lives. In so doing, they imagine ways to flee their everyday existence and grapple with mortality and loss. In �Guinea Fowls,� a young boy exploring his new neighborhood unwittingly stumbles into his first experience with death. In �Before I Die,� a wife struggles to come to terms with her husband�s past love, discovered in secret letters enclosed in his suitcase. �White Geranium� follows a bitter widower in the immediate days after the loss of his wife, with a house cat morphing into a sublime antagonist. A night of celebration surreptitiously connects the paths of two young people in �Carnival.� Embracing simplicity and surrealism, these thoughtfully chosen stories are presented in chronological order by their original publication dates to create a collection of intricate and entrancing tales. --Leah Strauss

Product Details

• Paperback: 255 pages
• Publisher: Open Letter (February 28, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1934824313
• ISBN-13: 978-1934824313
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,644,456 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Exquisitely Crafted Stories from a Lifetime February 5, 2012

By las cosas

Format:Paperback

The 30 stories in this book are collected over the lifetime of this Catalan writer. The author lived in Barcelona until she was exiled during the Civil War, living for the remainder of her life in France and Switzerland, and it is in these three locations that the stories take place. I read most of this book aloud, particularly the early stories that were originally published in the book Vint-i-dos Contes. Each sentence is carefully weighed, requiring a carefully deliberate reading most often encountered in poetry. Take for example the following...

"My son, my husband, Roger. Nothing. No one. I've lived alone. A am alone. Alone with this bundle of dead memories, which could be mine or not. Useless, sordid."

These are vibrant stories, concentrating on interior thoughts and emotions. There are no wasted words, and each story is meticulously crafted. It is not a surprise to learn that in order to support herself while in exile she worked as a seamstress. Think of these stories as lace sown with exquisite words of silk.

The early stories are straightforward, with simple plots consisting of crisp details. The later stories are more complex, dreamy, at times even Gothic. But not as satisfying to this reader. Yet certainly powerful...

"Ever since the day his wife took him away [from me], people in the village have looked at me as if they weren't looking at me, some furtively making the sign of the cross when I walked by...witch, witch, witch."

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting book February 16, 2013

By S. P. Parrish

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I like this book. Her stories are interesting albeit dark and somewhat depressing. I liked the Time of Doves more. Unfortunately there are markings throughout the book, which really annoys me. It was used but it was never indicated it was in such bad condition.