The Art of the Short Story

Lydia Davis short stories reviewed

Lydia Davis is a writer with whom I have only recently become acquainted.  The few pieces I've scanned I've found interesting and intriguing.  But I suspect that nearly single-handedly she has forged a revolution in what can be considered a short story and a short-short story.  I noticed that Sam Shepherd's latest book of short story seems to follow closely in Lydia Davis's tracks.  And there is a delightful little ditty out called Sum: Forty Tales of Afterlives by David Eagleman that seem to take cues from some of the innovations and stylistic tendencies of Ms. Davis.

Comments

  1. TSFebruary 11, 2010 at 4:48 PM

    Expect even more followers given our short attention span these days?

    ReplyDelete
  2. StevenFebruary 12, 2010 at 7:10 AM

    Dear TS,

    Indeed, it is possible. But a trend like this is one that is only sustained by magnificent talent. True, there may be a few who join the ranks--but the short story is difficult enough territory--only slightly easier than the poem--and so such concision? Well, let us consider the wisdom of Pascal--"Had I more time I would have written a shorter [story]."

    So, there may be followers, but I don't know that we'll ever end up with a vast literature of the very short--it's possible--but as I said, it's a rare talent that can sustain it and make it enjoyable to others.

    shalom,

    Steven

    ReplyDelete

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