The New Short Story Theories

By: May, Charles E.

Book Overview

The first edition of May's Short Story Theories (1976) opened with an essay entitled "The Short Story: An Underrated Art." Almost two decades later, the short story suffers no such slight. Publishers and critics have become increasingly interested in the form, which has enjoyed a renaissance led by such writers as Raymond Carver, Tobias Wolff, Ann Beattie, Bobbie Ann Mason, and Mary Robison. An important part of this revival of interest,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0821410873
• ISBN13: 9780821410875
• Release Date: July 1994
• Publisher: Ohio University Press
• Length: 363 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Perhaps the bible of short story theory

It's the best book for researchers on short story theory. Charles E. May is a clever editor and a great writer. His articles are deep and clear. His editting shows a careful selection of articles which obey a logical sequence being all intertwined and interconnected. I do recommend the book for undergraduate students of literature as well as for graduate students.

For understanding, not writing, short stories

In short (pun intended), this is one of the two or three best books out there on the theory of short story (see also _Short Story Theory at a Crossroads_ ed. by Lohafer and Clarey). There are countless books out there for helping you craft your own short fiction. This book is not for that, nor does it make any claims to this purpose.Instead, it is an excellent, critical look at the history and current state of the genre of the short story. If this is at all your interest, you must have this book.Please disregard John Jr's review, for it is "almost useless" as far as this book is concerned.

Great book, but difficult

John Jr (below) obviously has a little chip on his shoulder about writing theory and probably about academia.No, this is not a how-to book filled with exercises and tips and explanations of different techniques. It is a book for the advanced student or writer, and discusses issues involved with the short story, placing the form in assorted contexts and dissecting it from those positions. It is not easy reading, but neither is it impregnable to the thoughtful reader. It will not tell you how to write short stories, but it will provide you with intelligent ways of thinking about them, and hence, being more disciplined and perhaps original in your work.