Twentieth-Century Short Story Explication: Supplement IV to Third Edition

Lists books, monographs, and periodicals which critically analyze or interpret short works of fiction written since 1800

Gr 3-5 Thirty-four tales for the telling, eleven of which have not appeared elsewhere. Several, popularized by individual picture book publication (Just Say Hic Follett, 1965; o.p.; Teeny-Tiny and the Witch Woman Pantheon, 1975; o.p.; New Patches for Old Parents, 1974; o.p.; and The Round Sultan and the Straight Answer Parents, 1970; o.p. among them), prove the wit and wonder of these tellings. There are Turkish variants of ``The Twelve Dancing Princesses,'' ``Beauty and the Beast,'' ``Seven at a Blow,'' ``Like Meat Loves Salt,'' and others, as well as two variants of ``Hodja'' stories from Kelsey's Once the Hodja (David McKay, 1943; o.p.) . Walker also revises her own telling of ``Keloglan and God's Greatness'' from Once There Was and Twice There Wasn't (Follett, 1968; o.p.), making it ``Hasan and Allah's Greatness.'' There are no illustrations, but occasional riddles help to break up the text. A pronunciation guide at the beginning and a glossary at the end guide readers through the exotica. Walker's introduction describes the atmosphere in which she heard these tales, giving the storyteller what an actor would call ``the offstage beat,'' the unspoken knowledge of background that nonetheless flavors the telling. The stories are grouped by type (Fables, Keloglan, Hoca Hodja, Jinns, Fools, Fate, etc.). The humor and suspense of the stories make for excellent entertainment. Storytellers will welcome this wealth of material in one volume. Helen Gregory, Grosse Pointe Public Library, Mich. Junior High Up

Copyright 1988 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Tales with the flavor, sights and sounds of faraway places and long ago times reside in Walker's splendid compilation; she has woven facets of daily living into stories of mistaken identity, tricksters, wily sultans and princesses who marry poor men. Undeniably these themes appear in most folktales, but both familiar storiesa variation of "The Twelve Dancing Princesses," for exampleand lesser-known tales are most welcome here: in one story, Hamal Hasan agrees to carry a baby for a woman, and ends up acquiring far more babies than he had counted on; in another, a sultan who has worked hard to become the fattest ruler in the land has to go on a diet; in a third, a man goaded into becoming a merchant by his wife sells wisdom at a high price. Vividly retold, with phrases that Walker notes are from the oral tradtion, this is a perfect volume for folktale fans seeking something fresh and different. All ages.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Commonly known as "Walker," this reference series is popular in public and academic libraries. It lists 20th-century interpretation citations, taken from English-language books and journals, for short stories written since 1800 by 2016 world authors. The third edition appeared in 1977. This supplement includes criticism from the end of 1984 through 1986, with 249 authors appearing here for the first time. Walker writes that these "are mainly women writers, Third World authors and the creators of fantasy and science fiction." The price is reasonable. Highly recommended.
- Paul Kaplan, Highland Park P.L.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.