I Cannot Tell a Lie, Exactly: And Other Stories

by Mary Ladd Gavell

Book Overview

When Mary Ladd Gavell died in 1967, at the age of forty-seven, she had never been published. But her story "The Rotifer" was fortuitously discovered by John Updike, who called it a "gem" and included... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0375758224
• ISBN13: 9780375758225
• Release Date: September 2002
• Publisher: Random House Trade
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.3" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

The best book of short stories you will find.

I adored this book, from the first short story to the last. (my taste is high style, low action, extreme wit, somewhat self absorbed subtle use of language. This was much like a Flannery O'Connor short story book, very feminine voice, rich with details and descriptions)It melts into your mind with the most subtle use of language and sound I have encountered in a very long time. This is not a woman who made her living as a short story or fiction writer and so her name will not ring any bells (she wrote for technical magazines and scientific journals). These stories are delicate and respectful of the characters, they are intelligently written and they create a world that will welcome you and make you feel as though you once lived there. Each story floats into the others, but each has its own small world to reveal. She explores the lives of very different people, even though they live in a similar context. She develops the characters quickly, easily, while never letting them become stereotypes. Each story is a perfect morsel. If you love to read, you will find it hard to accept that she did not spend her life doing nothing but writing these perfect moments.

Marvelous short story collection

This is a marvelous collection of short stories. I read the first story and thought, "Well, this is probably going to be my favorite of the lot." Then, I read the third story and thought, "No, this is the one. It's perfect." And so on, and so on.Mary Ladd Gavell was born in Cuero, Texas and she died at the age of 47 in 1967 - the year I was born. Mrs. Gavell's stories capture the voices of the women I've known so much better than some of the newer "Southern fiction" I've read lately.I feel sure this will be my next book club selection, and I think I'm going to want to go back and reread some of these stories regularly. Please, buy a copy of your own. I promise you'll enjoy it.

Wonderful short story collection

This is a marvelous collection of short stories. I read the first story and thought, "Well, this is probably going to be my favorite of the lot." Then, I read the third story and thought, "No, this is the one. It's perfect." And so on, and so on.Mary Ladd Gavell was born in Cuero, Texas and she died at the age of 47 in 1967 - the year I was born. Mrs. Gavell's stories capture the voices of the women I've known so much better than some of the newer "Southern fiction" I've read lately.I feel sure this book is going to be my next book club selection, and I think I'm going to want to go back and reread some of these stories regularly. Please, buy a copy of your own. I promise you'll enjoy it.

Sad That She Is Not Here

"I Cannot Tell A Lie, Exactly", is a wonderful group of short stories by a writer that did not live to see them published, nor the enjoyment her words would bring to readers. And these stories are excellent not because of the unusual path they took to publication, rather because they are extremely well written. The book is also bracketed by touching tributes by her children.The book contains 16 stories including, "Rotifer", which when published alone was selected as one of The Best American Short Stories Of 1967, and then was honored by its inclusion in The Best American Short Stories Of The Century. And this was a story that was originally published as a tribute to the writer in a non-literary journal, which makes this book's journey all the more interesting.Virtually all of these tales describe situations that any member of a family will find familiar. Had they been written and published earlier, they would in many instances have been classic stories for the likes of The Saturday Evening Post together with the well-known covers of Norman Rockwell. This is not to say that all her stories are as idealized as many people feel Rockwell's paintings were. Just as he portrayed some of the darker sides of human nature, Mary Gavell touches on nerves that are either raw, or have the probability of developing painfully.Two of my favorites are, "The Swing", and the story that is also the title of this book. It is a rewarding experience to read these stories that so nearly were lost. That this is the only collection takes nothing away from the work, and for those who take the time to read this lady's words, they will be well rewarded.

A wonderful short story collection -- A real discovery!!

To paraphrase one of the blurb quotes, I was drawn to this collection by the posthumous publication situation (summarized well in the "Editorial reviews" section above), but I stuck around for the marvelous short stories. Ms. Gavell's tales are very well written slices of life, but always with a bit of whimsy or oddness thrown in to keep things interesting. Unlike works by the "literary elite" who usually draw the kind of praise this book has garnered, the stories in "I Cannot Tell A Lie, Exactly" are easy to read. Each one is a captivating gem, filled with details that paint pictures of the characters and make them into the kind of people you'd like to meet. Despite the fact that these pieces were written forty years ago (or more), the language is rarely dated in any way. With the unique appeal and quiet wisdom of Ms. Gavell's writing, I expect this collection will endure for many decades to come. One suggestion, though -- skip the gaseous introduction (by Kaye Gibbons).