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60 Word Short Story Reviews
Baltimore’s City Paper is currently running a series of short story reviews in 60 words or less. It’s insanely difficult to try to capture something that briefly. I’m not thrilled with my encapsulation of Giant contributor Ryan Call’s story “I Pilot My Bed Deep Into the Night,” which appeared in Keyhole 7, but what the heck. It was fun trying. Or maybe it was stressful, because I had to keep throwing away words and I thought I was killing his amazing story. Other reviews include a Breece Pancake story from Justin Sirois (who chose to use the expletive “damn” as one of his words), Barry Hannah’s “Constant Pain in Tuscaloosa” by Tim Kreider, and a couple dozen others. Here’s a writer to know: Dambudzo Marechera, covered by Bret McCabe.
The Bar-Stool Edible Worm
by Dambudzo MarecheraI am against everything
Against war and those against
War.
Against whatever diminishes
Th’individual’s blind impulse.Shake the peaches down from
The summer poem, Rake in ripe
Luminosity; dust; taste. Lunchtime
News – pass the Castor Oil, Alice.
I think the most remarkable review is Jamie Gaughran-Perez’s take on “Hills Like White Elephants,” because he doesn’t shy away from quoting the word “please” for seven of his 60 words. There are 27 reviews in all, which means you can can get mildly familiar with 27 stories and only have to read 1620 words.
Tags: Baltimore City Paper, Dambudzo Marechera, ryan call
Hm, the Twitterisation of literary criticism. I’m not sure if I should be happy about this (wordy waffle disguised as a review can be such a nuisance to read) or shake my fists at the heavens and cry out loud (can 60 words really do justice even to a short story?).
Hm, the Twitterisation of literary criticism. I’m not sure if I should be happy about this (wordy waffle disguised as a review can be such a nuisance to read) or shake my fists at the heavens and cry out loud (can 60 words really do justice even to a short story?).
i love the concept and will check out
i love the concept and will check out
You know, Matthias, that Twitter thing didn’t occur to me. Thankfully. Also, it isn’t referenced anywhere in the article. I don’t think it was about twitterisation at all, though I can’t deny the unfortunate parallel.
I think, largely, the experiment shows that no, 60 words can’t do justice to a short story.
You know, Matthias, that Twitter thing didn’t occur to me. Thankfully. Also, it isn’t referenced anywhere in the article. I don’t think it was about twitterisation at all, though I can’t deny the unfortunate parallel.
I think, largely, the experiment shows that no, 60 words can’t do justice to a short story.
blurbs
blurbs
I’m afraid you’re right. I also couldn’t help but notice that some reviewers stretched the rules of mathematics quite a bit to get their review into this series.
I’m afraid you’re right. I also couldn’t help but notice that some reviewers stretched the rules of mathematics quite a bit to get their review into this series.
cool idea, but man, this magazine i know did something like that six months ago: http://giganticmag.wordpress.com/2009/03/13/stories-in-three-lines
seriously though, i do like the concept
cool idea, but man, this magazine i know did something like that six months ago: http://giganticmag.wordpress.com/2009/03/13/stories-in-three-lines
seriously though, i do like the concept
Not to be inflammatory, but “60 words can’t do justice to a short story” is kinda bullshit unless you have too rigid definition of “justice.” After all, you could say, “2,500 words can’t do justice to a life experience”… and then what does that leave you with re a short story. Or “50,000 words can’t do justice to a life” …and where does that leave that whole “biography” tradition.
I like haiku… I just don’t expect them to do the same work a novel is trying to get done.
Not to be inflammatory, but “60 words can’t do justice to a short story” is kinda bullshit unless you have too rigid definition of “justice.” After all, you could say, “2,500 words can’t do justice to a life experience”… and then what does that leave you with re a short story. Or “50,000 words can’t do justice to a life” …and where does that leave that whole “biography” tradition.
I like haiku… I just don’t expect them to do the same work a novel is trying to get done.
Justice exists only in the minds of the philosophers, as John Milbank said.
Class, I think the logical fallacy in Mr. GP’s argument is innocence by association — you can’t conclude that X works because Y and Z have proven successful.
Justice exists only in the minds of the philosophers, as John Milbank said.
Class, I think the logical fallacy in Mr. GP’s argument is innocence by association — you can’t conclude that X works because Y and Z have proven successful.
There is no logical fallacy. ;)
You either buy into the fact that things are reducible without complete loss or not. 60 words is way longer than most haikus and people tend to accept them as capturing something… so the 60 word barrier hasn’t crossed some atomic limit of sense.
You could say reduction = destruction and I’d surely enjoy a beer with you on that topic, you could even get my vote if you vote my way on DC statehood or gay marriage.
“Eskimo.”
There is no logical fallacy. ;)
You either buy into the fact that things are reducible without complete loss or not. 60 words is way longer than most haikus and people tend to accept them as capturing something… so the 60 word barrier hasn’t crossed some atomic limit of sense.
You could say reduction = destruction and I’d surely enjoy a beer with you on that topic, you could even get my vote if you vote my way on DC statehood or gay marriage.
“Eskimo.”