Author: Flannery O'Connor
Publication Year: 1977 (reprint) 1955 (originally)
Publisher: Harcourt
Edition: Trade
Setting: Southern US states
Source: personal collection
Date Completed: November/2012
Rating: 4.5/5
Recommend: yes
From a reader who isn't a huge fan of short stories, I must say that Flannery O'Conner's,
A Good Man is Hard to Find and Other Stories is a wonderful
collection that I really enjoyed a lot. O'Connor was an incredibly
talented Southern writer whose life ended much too early. She died in 1964 at the
age of 39 of Lupus.
In this collection, each story for the most part takes
place in the 1940s and 50s, and although the reader is not always sure
of the locale, it seems clear that most stories seem to have a rural
south setting, as she is know for her Southern Gothic fiction. Most of
her stories are dark, often tragic, but there always seems to be humor
infused, and each story has at least one broken or quirky characters that makes the
story memorable. Some stories have religious undertones or characters
struggling with faith in times of crisis.
The title story (my favorite) featured a grandmother,
who sees herself as a prim and proper lady. She's also an opinionated
chatterbox who tells her family (and others) which she thinks about
everything, but that doesn't mean she's a clear thinker and is able to
always make good decisions. In this story, her son wants to take the
family to Florida on vacation, but the grandmother urges them to
consider Tennessee instead, as an escaped convict labeled "The Misfit"
has escaped from prison and is one the loose, and according to the
grandmothers criminals tend to head to Florida. Her son does not take
her advice and the family (grandmother included) set out for a road trip
to Florida -- a road trip that is a riot to read about, but one that
ends badly.
The River, was another story that was tragic, yet so
well done - a five year old boy, with irresponsible partying
parents, who is often left alone. He is a bit too trusting for his own
good.
Good Country People was another one I enjoyed - what
happens when a lonely lady with a fake leg is visited by a conniving,
traveling Bible salesman? Let your imagination run wild, or better yet, read it for yourself and
enjoy this wild ride.
Most of the stories range from 20-30 pages, and
honestly, if you've been like me and avoided short story collections far
too long, this would be an excellent book to start with to make you
ease back in an see what you've been missing. Other stories in this
collection in addition to the (3) I mentioned are: The Life You Save May
Be Your Own, (another favorite) A Stroke of Good Fortune, (another
favorite) A Temple of the Holy Ghost, The Artificial Nigger, A Circle in
the Fire, A Late Encounter with the Enemy and The Displaced Person
(another favorite).
I definitely plan to read more of Flannery O'Connor's work in 2013.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
I really need to read O'Connor's work - short stories sounds like a good way to try it out.
ReplyDeleteI haven't read any of her work yet, but your review makes me want to!
ReplyDeleteI haven't read O'Connor since high school, and every time I see a review of her work I think I need to read her again. And then I forget. I'm sorry Ms. O'Connor!
ReplyDeleteAnd I didn't know she died of lupus.
I'm so glad you enjoyed her. She is one of my favorites. I really need to revisit her soon.
ReplyDeleteI remember reading this book in college and being very impressed.
ReplyDeleteDiane, I enjoyed your review of this collection. I read Good Country People, which gave me a good sample of Flannery O'Connor's work.
ReplyDeleteGreat review, Diane! I have O'Connor's collected stories and am slowly making my way through... enjoying each and every one.
ReplyDeleteI know I read some of these quite some time ago but I should reread them. They sound amazingly good. And a good short story writer is hard to find!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you reviewed this collection. I've been looking for something by O'Connor to read in 2013. I like the few things I've read by her and want to keep going. Thanks for your suggestion, Diane.
ReplyDeleteI really feel like my lit life has been shortchanged by not reading O'Connor. I need to do something abouth that!
ReplyDeleteI'm not a huge fan of short stories either, but this is on my must list for next year. I'm so glad to read your review because I've been curious about it for years.
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