A short story I recently read

In Winter the Sky, by Jon McGregor Read it here in about 50 minutes. Thinking about why I love it… This version of the story (see the introduction from Granta) is written in the 3rd person, limited to the POV of the female character (Joanna), but it also includes extracts from Joanna’s writing (starting ‘InContinue reading “A short story I recently read”

A short story I recently read

‘Fable’ by Ethan Rutherford Read it here in about an hour. Thinking about using stories within stories… A husband and wife have dinner with an old friend, meeting his new wife for the first time. The three friends reminisce; the narrator tells the reader they share stories about their shared pasts, but the reader isn’tContinue reading “A short story I recently read”

A short story I recently read

Where Are You Going, Where Have you Been?, by Joyce Carol Oates Read it here in about an hour. Analysis: Thinking about meanings and endings… I’ve been reading quite a bit of Oates recently, in honour of Halloween month. This short story is typical of her writing: there’s something sinister, something dangerous, and plenty ofContinue reading “A short story I recently read”

A short story I recently re-read

‘The Bus’, by Shirley Jackson Available here. You can read it in 40 minutes or so. Analysis:  Thinking about structure…  The story begins with the simple statement ‘Miss Harper was going home, although the night was wet and nasty.’ The word ‘home’ is repeated 5 times in the opening paragraph, as the reader is told (without aContinue reading “A short story I recently re-read”