"Thirteen Ways of Looking" is the novella headlining this collection where it is joined by three much shorter stories. Although the subject matter of each is different, they all share a number of characteristics like tone, voice and style. More importantly, they also have in common the fact that they are really well-written. I admit … Continue reading “Thirteen Ways of Looking”
Category: Short Stories
“Tenth of December”
Perhaps to start with a caution. Even though "Tenth of December" is a collection of short stories, you are going to have to work at them. This is partly because of their gritty realism, and partly because of remarkably fluid style George Saunders chooses to write them in. Often you find a mixture of real … Continue reading “Tenth of December”
“Desire”
I can't quite decide whether or not I should recommend this small Vintage 'mini' as a suitable introduction to the work of Haruki Murakami. The stories in "Desire" are more or less typical of his style and - interestingly - they give each of his major into-English translators a run-out too. (Through experience, I've found … Continue reading “Desire”
Free e-book this week – last chance!
This week - Monday 30th March to Friday 3rd April - Amazon are giving away free Kindle copies of my collection of short stories, "Secrets & Wisdom". So today's the last day! Recently I read one of the stories from this volume, "Welshman" (see the link below). Now you have the chance to get the … Continue reading Free e-book this week – last chance!
Free e-book this week!
This week - Monday 30th March to Friday 3rd April - Amazon are giving away free Kindle copies of my collection of short stories, "Secrets & Wisdom". Recently I read one of the stories from this volume, "Welshman" (see the link below). Now you have the chance to get the whole collection absolutely free! Partly … Continue reading Free e-book this week!
Welshman – a reading
I have always wanted to read my short story "Welshman". Written a while ago, it was published in 2017 in my collection of short stories "Secrets & Wisdom". I hope you like it.
Forthcoming Public Event!
Really looking forward to appearing on the panel of writers at this free event in Ripon Library on 14th March, being grilled about being a writer - and only having a minute to answer each question!
Anonymous – a short story
Later, after the fog had lifted, I discovered I had become invisible. It had tumbled down the hill like an afterthought forgotten by the morning, as if it had missed its alarm call and was trying to make up for lost time, scurrying across the lake to where I sat alone, accompanied only by the … Continue reading Anonymous – a short story
Is there room in the market for a new literary journal?
The idea is simple enough. A bi-annual literary compendium containing prose, poetry, and literary non-fiction. It would be produced in paperback book not pamphlet form, and probably run to about 200-pages long. Significantly, the bulk of the content would most likely come from writers capable of crafting high-quality material yet who are struggling to get … Continue reading Is there room in the market for a new literary journal?
“Nocturnes”
One of the things at which Kazuo Ishiguro excels is writing first person characters who have flawed views of themselves; they believe they are perfectly rational, charming, intelligent, while all the while they are something other. And he depicts them in such a way as to allow us to see both sides, permitting us to … Continue reading “Nocturnes”
Ian Gouge - Writer 