On the Bookshelf :: Short Stories Galore!

I was pretty excited about the readings for this week, considering it was all short stories chosen by the fabulous SI 643 students. And I have to say, they were all excellent! The titles and a small description are listed below:

My partner and I choose: "The Beautiful People" by Charles Beaumont. For any Twilight Zone fans out there, this movie was made into an episode called "Number 12 Looks Just Like You". Not to give too much away, but it is about a society in the future who values physical looks, and one young woman stands up against the status quo.

Return to River Town by Peter Hessler. A really interesting article from National Geographic about a small rural town in China (Fuling), that recently underwent a large and fast transformation. Peter Hessler was in the Peace Corps and worked at a school in Fuling. He wrote a book about his time there, and what the place was like. The article is a reflection on his recent visit back to Fuling after completing his book and the changes he saw.

The Bear Came Over the Mountain by Alice Munro. A story about an elder couple who must undergo a hard transition as the wife's mind deteriorates. It shows many aspects to the transition and feelings associated with aging and marriage, along with the love of a husband and wife. I found it to be a very sweet story.

The Right Book (Chapter 3 in With a Little Help) by Cory Doctorow. What will the world of books look like in 50, 100, and 150 years? Cory Doctorow believes that with mega bookstores and the crowding out of locally owned shops, there will be a void created in getting new readers hooked on reading. An excellent little story, broken up into three parts (50 years, 100 years, 150 years from now) about a small little curio shop, and the selling of The Book.

The Catbird Seat by James Thurbur. While all the stories I read were great, this was by far my favorite. It is so cunning and silly, while at the same time it left me scratching my head and pondering about the ethics of it all. While it may seem to start slow, the plot picks up fast. Mr. Martin is fed up with the loud Mrs. Barrow at his company F & S. What happens when a disgruntle worker takes it into his own hands? Well, it gets Mr. Martin sitting on the catbird seat!