LCC
PS3537.T323 T5
Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Publication
New York, N.Y., U.S.A. : Penguin Books, 1990.
Description
Classic Literature. Fiction. Short Stories. HTML: American writer Gertrude Stein was definitely decades ahead of her time. Injecting experimental and avant-garde elements into her work, she described her method as "literary cubism"�??an understandable goal for someone who was close friends with Picasso and many other important artists of the day. Although the collection Three Lives definitely pushes the literary envelope, the stories still manage to convey tender and engaging human portraits of three very different female protagonists.
User reviews
LibraryThing member FredSmeegle
The novel covers the lives of three women: Anna, a German-American servant, Melanctha, a single black woman, and Lena, a German immigrant who marries a tailor.
Through the use of repetition, the author draws you so thoroughly into the lives of the characters that it is somewhat uncomfortable for
Through the use of repetition, the author draws you so thoroughly into the lives of the characters that it is somewhat uncomfortable for
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the reader. The middle and longest section about Melanctha in particular made me feel almost like I was engaged in a bad relationship myself. Brilliant proof that poetry and realism mix well, or that at least they can when Gertrude Stein is the writer. Show Less
LibraryThing member whitewavedarling
It was a struggle to get through this. Simply, I would not recommend it. I find the book itself pretentious, and the high praise/adjectives given on the cover and jacket (...unforgetable stories...poignancy...compassion...) laughable. Nothing about the book worked for me, and I'm afraid I simply
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don't consider this a classic in any way aside from title. It is worthwhile to attempt something, yes, and I can certainly see Stein reaching for goals, but she came far short. Based on this and what else I've read by Stein, I'm afraid I can't consider her much more than a joke or a very lucky woman who I will not call a writer. Needless to say, I recommend you don't bother. Good luck getting through it if you do. For me, it was a struggle of will to read two "lives", having read one years ago, unhappily, for a class. Show Less
LibraryThing member whitewavedarling
It was a struggle to get through this. Simply, I would not recommend it. I find the book itself pretentious, and the high praise/adjectives given on the cover and jacket (...unforgetable stories...poignancy...compassion...) laughable. Nothing about the book worked for me, and I'm afraid I simply
Show More
don't consider this a classic in any way aside from title. It is worthwhile to attempt something, yes, and I can certainly see Stein reaching for goals, but she came far short. Based on this and what else I've read by Stein, I'm afraid I can't consider her much more than a joke or a very lucky woman who I will not call a writer. Needless to say, I recommend you don't bother. Good luck getting through it if you do. For me, it was a struggle of will to read two "lives", having read one years ago, unhappily, for a class. Show Less
LibraryThing member dbsovereign
Great, very accessible way to get introduced to Stein who can be difficult (or at least obscure) at times. One has to realize that Stein was trying to do for writing what the Cubists were doing for painting.
LibraryThing member wendyrey
Too clever by half.
The first and third sections were interesting but the middle section was so contrived and repetitive that it became rapidly irritating.
Yes I know it's supposed to be a literary landmark (reminds me a bit of James Joyce) but I found it pretentious .
The first and third sections were interesting but the middle section was so contrived and repetitive that it became rapidly irritating.
Yes I know it's supposed to be a literary landmark (reminds me a bit of James Joyce) but I found it pretentious .
LibraryThing member Prop2gether
This is one of three of Stein’s works on the 1001 Must Read List. It is, indeed, the story of three lives, of three women, in the first years of the last century, in Bridgepoint: the Good Anna, Melanctha, and Lena. This is Stein’s first published book, and it seems extremely arcane today.
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Written mostly in straight declarative sentences, with lots and lots and lots of repetition, the three stories are a difficult slog. The Good Anna doesn’t suffer fools or foolish behavior but she is a generous woman in many respects. Melanctha is a black woman who behaves “badly” by community definition. Lena is an immigrant who simply gets through life. The three are all serving class, meaning they are dependent on wages and/or family to live. The first and last stories, The Good Anna and Lena, are relatively short, while Melanctha’s story goes on and on and on and on and on. In this section especially, Stein appears to be attempting to duplicate speech rhythms and it gets tedious. I read it, but I recommend it really only to fans or literature majors. It will drive the everyday reader bonkers. Show Less
LibraryThing member fuzzy_patters
Stein writes about the lives of three women, hence the title. The first and third section worked for me. I thought that the use of repetition added emphasis and a certain cadence to the writing that worked. The middle life did not work as well for me. In addition to repetition of words and phrase,
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the middle story included quite a bit of recursiveness of plot. This became tedious after awhile. There comes a point where you know everything that you need to know to understand a character and what makes them who they are, and it is time at that point to move on and tell the reader some more. This didn't happen soon enough to make that section not be frustrating. Show Less
LibraryThing member starbox
Enjoyed two of the lives!
By sally tarbox on 19 October 2017
Format: Kindle Edition
Three stories about three very different working-class American women; I enjoyed the first and last. The middle (longest- almost a novella at 95p) was a literary achievement but rather a chore to read.
My favourite was
The final 'The Gentle Lena' follows a much weaker character, another German servant but this time a simple-minded girl whose aunt determines to arrange a marriage with a quiet and dutiful - and unwilling - friend's son...
The challenging one was 'Melanctha', whose protagonist is a young African-American woman. She has a slightly dodgy past, and when she takes up with a clean-living doctor, he starts to doubt the wisdom of their relationship; his girlfriend seems a mass of contradictions. Stein writes in a style all her own; a conversational style, repeating many statements, laying it on layer after layer to build up an understanding in the reader.
"Melanctha acted now the way she had said it always had been with them. Now it was always Jeff who had to do the asking. Now it was always Jeff who had to ask when would be the next time he should come to see her. Now always she was good and patient to him, and now always she was kind and loving with him, and always Jeff felt it was, that she was good to give him anything he ever asked or wanted, but never now any more for her own sake to make her happy in him. Now she did these things, as if it was just to please her Jeff Campbell, who needed she should now have kindness for him. Always now he was the beggar with them. Always now Melanctha gave it, not of her need but from her bounty to him. Always now Jeff found it getting harder for him."
By sally tarbox on 19 October 2017
Format: Kindle Edition
Three stories about three very different working-class American women; I enjoyed the first and last. The middle (longest- almost a novella at 95p) was a literary achievement but rather a chore to read.
My favourite was
Show More
'The Good Anna' - humorous in places, a great character study of a strong-minded German immigrant; a devoted servant but one who liked to rule the roost.The final 'The Gentle Lena' follows a much weaker character, another German servant but this time a simple-minded girl whose aunt determines to arrange a marriage with a quiet and dutiful - and unwilling - friend's son...
The challenging one was 'Melanctha', whose protagonist is a young African-American woman. She has a slightly dodgy past, and when she takes up with a clean-living doctor, he starts to doubt the wisdom of their relationship; his girlfriend seems a mass of contradictions. Stein writes in a style all her own; a conversational style, repeating many statements, laying it on layer after layer to build up an understanding in the reader.
"Melanctha acted now the way she had said it always had been with them. Now it was always Jeff who had to do the asking. Now it was always Jeff who had to ask when would be the next time he should come to see her. Now always she was good and patient to him, and now always she was kind and loving with him, and always Jeff felt it was, that she was good to give him anything he ever asked or wanted, but never now any more for her own sake to make her happy in him. Now she did these things, as if it was just to please her Jeff Campbell, who needed she should now have kindness for him. Always now he was the beggar with them. Always now Melanctha gave it, not of her need but from her bounty to him. Always now Jeff found it getting harder for him."
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LibraryThing member stillatim
I've been reading some of Stein's essays, which are pretty interesting. And I read a William Gass essay about 3 Lives, which was also pretty interesting, and I thought, well, why not?
Why not? Because this book is not particularly interesting. Gass reports reading it in one fevered sitting, then
That said, Gass is a pretty high bar, and I can imagine returning to 3 Lives later in my life. Perhaps. Perhaps I'd rather just read other bits of Stein, like her essays.
Why not? Because this book is not particularly interesting. Gass reports reading it in one fevered sitting, then
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re-reading it obsessively, so deep was his ardor and fascination for the language. I can imagine that, I guess, if it were about one sixth as long (i.e., the length of an average Stein essay). Instead, it's Flaubert with more repetition and an intentionally restricted vocabulary. That's fine. It's important historically. But after I finished (skimming) the last life, I re-read the Gass essay. I would much, much rather read the Gass essay, because his writing (in that essay) is better than Stein's (in this text). That said, Gass is a pretty high bar, and I can imagine returning to 3 Lives later in my life. Perhaps. Perhaps I'd rather just read other bits of Stein, like her essays.
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Subjects
Language
Original publication date
1909
Physical description
xxiii, 262 p.; 20 inches
ISBN
0140181849 / 9780140181845