Yes, indeedy! It's Monday, and time for my next-to-last installment of Neil Gaiman's Fragile Things! And this week, the stories were very good! Aliens and Zombies and even a Phoenix. Oh my!
How to Talk to Girls at Parties is the story of Enn and his friend Vic. Enn is quite and shy and doesn’t understand girls in the least. Not Vic. He’s charming and lovable and the girls all flock to him. When Vic gets them an invitation to a party, Enn is worried that he won’t be able to talk to any girls that are there. After losing the address to the party, the boys walk up and down the street until there hear music. When they get to the party, it is filled with girls. Of course, these girls are different. They are “visitors” to the area! This story won the 2007 Locust award for Best Short Story, and it leaves a lot to your imagination!
The Day the Saucers Came is a remarkable little poem that gives a little insight into what happens to a person if he spends his (or her) life waiting around for someone else. It's an absolute gem!
Sunbird is an attempt by Gaiman to write a story in the style of R. A. Lafferty. It’s a tale of the Epicurean Club, and 5 of it’s members. The Epicurean Club has been around for many centuries. The Epicurean’s get together and feast on everything. From beetles to tigers, Mammoths to pandas, this group must try everything! And just when they think there is nothing left to try, Zebediah T. Crawcrustle, one of the oldest members, thinks of just one more thing they haven’t eaten. The Suntown Sunbird. It can only be found in Suntown, an area of Cairo, Egypt. So the group sets out to capture the elusive Sunbird.
Inventing Aladdin is a poem written by Gaiman in an attempt to show an example of how folklore or fairy tales come into being.
The Day the Saucers Came is a remarkable little poem that gives a little insight into what happens to a person if he spends his (or her) life waiting around for someone else. It's an absolute gem!
Sunbird is an attempt by Gaiman to write a story in the style of R. A. Lafferty. It’s a tale of the Epicurean Club, and 5 of it’s members. The Epicurean Club has been around for many centuries. The Epicurean’s get together and feast on everything. From beetles to tigers, Mammoths to pandas, this group must try everything! And just when they think there is nothing left to try, Zebediah T. Crawcrustle, one of the oldest members, thinks of just one more thing they haven’t eaten. The Suntown Sunbird. It can only be found in Suntown, an area of Cairo, Egypt. So the group sets out to capture the elusive Sunbird.
Inventing Aladdin is a poem written by Gaiman in an attempt to show an example of how folklore or fairy tales come into being.
Once again, I am amazed by Gaiman. He's so creative, and can completely capture you imagination in just a few words (which is good, since the very nature of the short story is to be brief!) Although I thought Sunbird was rather strange, it was indeed engaging. And How to Talk to Girls at Parties was fantastic! It leaves you with just enough information, and then it's up to your own imagination! The last installment of this WONDERFUL book will be next week, when I review the last story, the short novella The Monarch of the Glen!
7 comments:
Again, it sounds like he takes all sorts of risks with his writing. I love it!
You have a real treat coming with The Monarch of the Glen! Have you read American Gods?
I loved Sunbird! Its such a wonderful story. One of my favorites (how many times have I said that now?)
Did you know that they put How to Talk to Girls at Parties in M is for Magic, his book for children? I wonder if that was the publishers decision or Gaiman's? I don't know if I'd want to read that one to my 8 year old...if I had one that is. But it is a great story!
Thanks for the link. Sounds really good
John - I know! I just keep gushing about Gaiman. But every story is so completely different!! And they are all good!!
Chris - American Gods was my very first Gaiman book. And I loved it!! I'm excited to see what the further adventures of Shadow brings!
Sunbird was so defintely weird...but I liked it!! Great ending too!!
Hmmmm..not sure How to Talk to Girls at Parties would work in a book for kids. But it was a good story!!
Chris - No problem!! Had a short story. Thought I should add it!
For some (strange) reason I still haven't gotten around to reading this collection yet. You'd think the RIP challenge would be enough of a push but somehow no. Weird.
Sunbird is one of by very favourite Neil Gaiman stories, and I had actually forgotten he had written it in the style of R. A. Lafferty. That means I absolutely have to read this author!
I absolutely love Neil Gaiman. I have tried searching for other authors with similar work and have only found a few. Once such author whom I am reading now is David Dent of Alex Webster and The Gods. A top read to that should be added to everyone's list.
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