Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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22 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Master's Best Collection, July 19, 2000
R. A. Lafferty, "the cranky old man from Tulsa," has written some fine novels: OKLA HANNALI, THE DEVIL IS DEAD, FOURTH MANSIONS, and others equally good. However, his weird (but wise) view of the world is at its best in his short fiction. NINE HUNDRED GRANDMOTHERS is his best single collection, one of the true landmark collections of modern fiction. It's amazing that such a wonderful collection hasn't had more influence, but then again it's hard to imagine anyone else writing anything even remotely like a Lafferty story except as a pastiche or tribute. He's that different.The stories here include many of his best: the title story, "Ginny Wrapped in the Sun," "Slow Tuesday Night," "Thus We Frustrate Charlemagne," "Narrow Valley," "Hog-Belly Honey," "The Hole on the Corner," "Name of the Snake," and others. The only excuse for not buying this is that you're waiting for the collected Lafferty!
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15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Lafferty is a genius, February 2, 2005
The "cranky old man from Tulsa" is one the great eccentrics of fantastical literature.His stylish, tumultuous, absurdist and sui generis short stories often blends theological speculations, satire, black humour, conspiracies, cartoonish humour..UUUFFFFFFF.He is a conscious stylist that assaults the reader with torrents of words, invention and craziness not often encountered in any kind of literature.On the surface his short stories seems to be aimed only to entertain ( and they DO entertain !! ) but more often than not they address serious issues. NINE HUNDRED GRANDMOTHERS is a fine introduction to Lafferty and shoudn't be missed .
Contents:
Nine Hundred Grandmothers ========== *****
Land of the Great Horses =========== ****
Ginny Wrapped in the Sun =========== **
The Six Fingers of Time ============ *****
Frog on the Mountain =============== ****
All the People ===================== ****
Primary Education of the Camiroi==== **1/2
Slow Tuesday Night ================= ***1/2
Snuffles =========================== ****
Thus We Frustrate Charlemagne ====== ****
Name of the Snake ================== *****
Narrow Valley ====================== *****
Polity and Custom of the Camiroi === **
In Our Block ======================= ****
Hog-Belly Honey ==================== ****
Seven Day Terror =================== ****
The Hole on the Corner ============= ****
What's the Name of that Town ? ===== ****12
Through Other Eyes ================= *****
One at a Time ====================== ***1/2
Guesting Time ====================== ***1/2
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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Each story a diamond, August 7, 2005
The short stories of R.A.Lafferty are (still?) a treasure known to not many people. Forget about writers filed under "Fantasy" and leading you to another Middle Earth copy. THIS is Fantasy and it will lead you both to the End of Time/Universe AND to your own block where aliens just started a new trade on the other side of the road for "Jupiter only offers freezing cold and you can only do business with insects" (story: "In our block")
I read and re-read this compilation since I was 18 years old. It tickles ALL your senses. And leaves you rolling on the floor sometimes too. Buy it, you will be amazed!
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