Short and Tall Tales

by Lilian Jackson Braun

Book Overview

As the devoted readers of the series know, Qwill has been working on this book since The Cat Who Tailed a Thief. Now the tales are finally all compiled-legends such as "The Secret of the Blacksmith's Wife" and "The Trevelyan Curse." In Short and Tall Tales, Lilian Jackson Braun introduces James Mackintosh Qwilleran and tells how he collected the tales. Qwill provides a preface for each legend, identifying the teller and the circumstances. And it is...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0399149562
• ISBN13: 9780399149566
• Release Date: October 2002
• Publisher: Putnam Adult
• Length: 145 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.3" x 8.3"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Love this series.

My mom (96 yrs old) loves this series - this audio completes her collection. She is blind, so these audiobooks are a Godsend!

Short and Tall Tales

I like Ms Braun's work very much and would give each of her "Cat Who" books a five star. She is a wonderfu writer, who lets you see and feel her charactures and settings. I'm waiting for her next book. Sincerely, Valerie B. Anderson

The Cat's Meow...

Qwill has finally done it. Put together the tales he's amassed so far in Moose County into a delightfully clever book. I can see how you must be a fan of Lilian or at the very least read at least a couple of her cat who books to understand the meaning behind this project. I am constantly waiting for her next book.This would make a great tv series. What fun to cast the characters in these books. But who to play the role of James Mackintosh Qwilleran? Hmmm...

A book for The Cat Who fans

The purpose of my review is to say whether or not, in my opinion, a book is worth buying. If you are one of Lilian Jackson Braun's "The Cat Who. . . " fans, then, Yes. This is a book you can read in one sitting if you like. It is not a mystery, but rather just what the title says, a collection of little "tall" tales that are written as though the main character in the series, Mr. Q, would write if he were a real author. I thought the book was exceedingly charming and although I can barely wait between publications of Bruan's mystery books, I thoroughly enjoyed this little collection. The idea of it is extremely novel and I would say it is a success from her fans' point of view.Some of the stories were already mentioned, or alluded to, in some of the author's other "The Cat Who. . . " books, but that was OK. It was a good refresher and the stories really do cement the flavor of Moose County. Again, I cannot say how much I just enjoyed the "chit-chattiness" of this little, easy-to-read volume. Ms. Braun has an amazing imagination--that is, she is able to reign it in and make it "fit" the imaginary people of Moose County. My railroader father especially enjoyed the tale about the hoghead.I also enjoyed the size of the book. It was light and easy to hold and felt very comfortable in my hands. I am looking forward to getting my hands on The Cat Who Brought Down the House soon.If you are new to Ms. Braun, this book is probably not the one you should start out with. But buy it anyway and set it aside until after you read a few of The Cat Who books. After you are well introduced to the characters of Moose County, pull out this little book. If you wait, you will be able to really enjoy it better that way.

James Mackintosh Quilleran, has finally finished his work

Fans of The Cat Who... mystery series have something to celebrate. The protagonist of the novels, James Mackintosh Quilleran, has finally finished his work SHORT AND TALL TALES, a series of stories told to him by the residents of Moose county. At the beginning of each tale, Quill explains how each story came into his possession and who gave it to him.Every reader will have a favorite or two but all the unique anecdotes in this book make a delightful holiday gift especially for series fans. Two of this reviewer's favorites are the "Secret Of The Blacksmith's Wife" (revealed to her grandson on her deathbed) and the "Tale Of Two Tombstones" (related by the stonecutter told to his grandson).There are twenty-seven stories in this collection and anytime the reader feels blue, try this collection for a pick-me-up.Harriet Klausner