The Collected Stories

by William Trevor

Book Overview

The Collected Stories - a stunning volume of William Trevor's unforgettable short stories

William Trevor is one of the most renowned figures in contemporary literature, described as 'the greatest living writer of short stories in the English language' by the New Yorker and acclaimed for his haunting and profound insights into the human heart. Here is a collection of his short fiction, with dozens of tales spanning his career...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0140232451
• ISBN13: 9780140232455
• Release Date: December 1993
• Publisher: Penguin Books
• Length: 1280 Pages
• Weight: 3.12 lbs.
• Dimensions: 2.0" x 6.2" x 9.1"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

The Master's Collection

Someone else here refers to the problems of 'star' hyperbole. He's right. The five stars Trevor deserves must be especially large and dazzling.He goes wrong, just a little, once in a while. So did every truly great writer we know. Most of the time he opens a door on the world of two or three people, and shows us the universe in the process. He is a breathtaking artist. Witness 'Another Christmas' - in a dingy living room and armed with no one but an aging Irish couple, he brings home the Troubles in Ireland in epic, heartbreaking scope. And 'Torridge'...a girl said to me when this story first appeared in The New Yorker that it was like Beethoven's Fifth; you can't imagine it not having been around before. It's that good.Readers! You can do no better than to get to know what this man can do with a pen.

WARNING: Intemperate Review Ahead!

Not all stars are created equal. By awarding 5 stars to this book, the implication must be that they are stars of the purest gold. I have read some "5-star" novels and short story collections before, but little, in my experience, compares with this: the combination of an extraordinarily beautiful prose style, the seemingly effortless creation of literally hundreds if not thousands of alternately sympathetic and detestable (but always vividly memorable) characters, a profound insight into the psychology of the human mind to rival (and pretty easily surpass) that of any other writer alive, a recreation of atmosphere so real it clings, and a brilliant inventiveness when it comes to creating great story lines (and, often, superbly twisty [but never illogical] endings) places this collection among the very greatest of its kind. One measure of how deeply impressed I was with this book is that now, more than half a year since I finished it, I can look back through the table of contents and still remember not merely every story with tremendous vividness, but often where I was at the time I read it.Stated broadly, Trevor's stories seem to fall into two distinct types, English and Irish. The former tend to be (as do many of the earlier stories) sharp and edgy, whereas the latter tend to be quiet and pastoral. Although it is the Irish stories that appear to garner the greatest praise from the critics, I prefer the greater cynicism (often bordering on, but never quite reaching, downright misanthropy) of the English stories.Having to choose my favorites from among this potent collection is akin to separating gold coins that are 100% pure from those that are 99.975% pure (soft though they would be!), but three continue to haunt me just a little more than the others. "The Death of Peggy Meehan," one of the Irish stories, and one of the collection's shortest, tells the tale of a young lad who is taken to his first movie during a summer vacation, and how the fantasies he draws after seeing that movie color (for better or worse) the rest of his life. "In at the Birth," is, unusually for Trevor, a creepy ghost story that Rod Serling would have marveled over. In it, an elderly woman takes a baby-sitting job for a peculiar couple who turn out to be (and this is hardly among the most riveting revelations provided) childless. But rather than leave me frightened, it left me pondering the meaning of life, age, and human relationships. Finally, "The Hotel of the Idle Moon," is what I described to a friend as "the greatest short story ever written." Its title is especially evocative and, in its context, has a host (no pun intended!) of powerful resonances. The "set up" is baldly cliche: on a dark and stormy night a middle-aged couple stop in front of an estate, pretending that their car has broken down. Foul play, one can be sure, is bound to ensue. And so it does. But the play is much fouler and more upsetting than anything anyone can imagine (trust me, until you read thi

A book that takes the breathe away !

I had given up reading for pleasure since my teen years and consumed only history, science and technology readings until the fateful Sunday, listening to NPR, heard William Trevor's, short story "Broken Homes", read by Meryl Strip. I could not take myself from the car to shop, Meryl had not finished the reading!I then knew I would read more William Trevor and ordered this book straight away. Even since my life has changed! More than 8o stories with such an insight into human character, I wonder if Trevor is the modern Shakepeare, with a xray talent for discerning the inner workings of human souls? "Death In Jerusalem ", is haunting and wonderful. Every story a joy to read. I spend my evenings now listening to light jazz and reading William Trevor. My life has reached a new peak and the Tele is being sold for junk.

The Greatest Prose Writer in the English Language

This book sits perched in the backseat of my car, easily accessed for a quick William Trevor fix. Trevor is, for me, God's greatest current gift to literature. Each of these stories is a gem. The characters are complex and the situations they find themselves in moving, funny and unique. I recommend this book to anyone who loves language, wit and perfect storytelling.

the greatest of all short story collections

This is, perhaps,the finest of all books. With 85 magnificent stories, virtually every one a solid masterpiece,William Trevor stands at the ultimate heights of his genre. Each story is a compressed gem and,while I have to admit that not every one is the greatest thing ever written, when you are blown away by about 1100 pages of a 1261 page opus, it is worth it in the end. Even the lesser stories have their merits, beautiful writing and sincere exploration of character. This is a book that everyone should read. I understand that this is a bit of an ethusiastic cliche and it is not a statement I have made before. But the sometimes comedic, usually heartbreaking tales contained within this book are just about all anyone needs to learn the wide range of emotions suffered by humanity. Do not pass up this unique offer. You will never have a better opportunity to be entertained while learning everything about human nature.