Selected stories

by Robert Walser

Paperback, 1983

Status

Available

Call number

PT2647.A64M53 1983

Genres

General Fiction

All Topics

Fiction

Collections

Your library, University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

Publication

Vintage Books (1983), Edition: 1st Vintage Books ed, Paperback, 194 pages

Description

In her preface to Robert Walser's Selected Stories, Susan Sontag describes Walser as "a good-humored, sweet Beckett." The more common comparison is to "a comic Kafka." Both formulations effectively describe the reading experience in these stories: the reader is obviously in the presence of a mind-bending genius, but one characterized by a wry, buoyant voice, as apparently cheerful as it is disturbing. Walser is one of the twentieth century's great modern masters--revered by everyone from Walter Benjamin to Hermann Hesse to W. G. Sebald--andSelected Stories gives the fullest display of his talent. "He is most at home in the mode of short fiction," according to J. M. Coetzee inThe New York Review of Books. The stories "show him at his dazzling best."… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member araridan

the best thing I read in 2007.I would describe this collection of short stories first and foremost as "lovely." Some are quite sad and some very funny or childlike. Almost all are relatively simple, not usually driven by plot, but more by inner reactions and revelations. Sometimes the character is

just going for a walk and describing the scenes he encounters, sometimes he talks about a book he has read, and other times we hear about the observations of a specific relationship, but no matter how sparse the subject, the language and poetic quality of these selections makes for an enjoyable read. I would highly recommend: Balloon Journey, Kleist in Thun, Helbling's Story, Nothing at All, The Street, Winter, Titus, A Letter to Therese Breitbach, the Pimp, and the Honeymoon (and now I've named nearly a quarter of the book)

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LibraryThing member Polaris-

Really quite perplexed about this. I was led by other reviews to expect a collection of small masterpieces - and was sorely disappointed. There were some here that I did enjoy - Balloon Journey, Kleist In Thun, The Job Application, Helbling's Story, Winter, A Village Tale, and Masters And Workers.

The remainder though I'm afraid left me with a feeling of what I can only describe as numbness.

The Walk, in particular - possibly owing to it being the lengthiest story here - I found a struggle to get through and really found it quite boring. Perhaps I've missed something? The prose is undoubtedly quite poetic and does induce visions in the reader, but all too often I found myself wondering just what the author was saying, and why.

I can't come close to adding anything of substance to JimmyChanga's excellent review below. He has even used the same quote I would have used to begin my review.

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LibraryThing member MSarki

I read most of the book, but the translator and I just do not get along too well. I really do believe Susan Bernofsky makes Walser come alive in ways that Middleton, the translator of this particular book, for one reason or another, is unable to accomplish. So, on we go. I would re-read a Bernofsky

translation of this same book, however. I know she is working on "The Walk" as we speak.

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LibraryThing member pessoanongrata

You just don't read writing like this anywhere else. Every first sentence of each story is a little work of genius.

LibraryThing member MSarki

I finally finished the complete book. I did like it. But I really do believe Susan Bernofsky makes Walser come alive in ways that Middleton, the translator of this particular book, for one reason or another, is unable to accomplish. I would love to re-read a Bernofsky translation of this same book,

however. She did translate "The Walk" which is also included in this selection and it is very very good.

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