Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collection
Publication
Overlook TP (2003), Paperback, 288 pages
Description
Here, in one volume, noted author and librarian Michael Cart has assembled a fascinating collection of twentieth century short fiction about libraries and librarians: from such classics as Borges's "The Library of Babel" and Isaac Babel's "The Public Lib
User reviews
LibraryThing member Othemts
Three I Liked
1. "A General in the Library" - Italo Calvino
2. "The Tractate Middoth" - M.R. James
3. "The Story of St. Vespaluss" - Saki
Three that are "eh!"
1. "The Cobweb" - Zona Gale
2. "The Retirment Party" - Lisa Koger
3. "Hard-Luck Stories" - Alice Munro
"It was the kind of place where the
"Perhaps I am deceived by old age and fear, but I suspect that the human species -- the unique human species -- is on the road to extinction, while the Library will last on forever: illuminated, solitary, infinite, perfectly immovable, filled with precious volumes, useless, incorruptible, secret." - p.262
1. "A General in the Library" - Italo Calvino
2. "The Tractate Middoth" - M.R. James
3. "The Story of St. Vespaluss" - Saki
Three that are "eh!"
1. "The Cobweb" - Zona Gale
2. "The Retirment Party" - Lisa Koger
3. "Hard-Luck Stories" - Alice Munro
"It was the kind of place where the
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houses stand cheek by jowl, all of them white frame, all of them built twenty years ago, and parked besides each was a car that seemed more substantial than the house itself, as if this were a fragment of some nomadic culture. And it was kind of spawning ground, a place for bearing and raising the young and for nothing else - for who would ever come back to Maple Dell?" - John Cheever, " The Trouble of Marcie Flint," p. 207 "Perhaps I am deceived by old age and fear, but I suspect that the human species -- the unique human species -- is on the road to extinction, while the Library will last on forever: illuminated, solitary, infinite, perfectly immovable, filled with precious volumes, useless, incorruptible, secret." - p.262
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LibraryThing member debnance
I was expecting a cute book with a cute gimmick, a book with stories about librarians. What librarian wouldn’t buy that? I was surprised to find lots of good stories, stories that would have been good whether the main character was a librarian or a garbage collector. Favorites were stories by
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John Cheever, Saki, and Walter R. Brooks. Show Less
LibraryThing member rampaginglibrarian
Uneven collection. There are a few great stories in here but most of them are only so so. I'm still glad i have it because you know i collect librariana and i'm just weird like that...
doesn't do much for that ever draggling librarian image though
doesn't do much for that ever draggling librarian image though
LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
Very mixed bag of stories about libraries and librarians. Some were interesting, some depressing and some were just plain wierd. None really stood out for me but it's an interesting collection.
LibraryThing member bookwoman247
This was an interesting and entertaining collection of short stories, each of which obviously pertains in some way to a library.
Included are stories by many prominent and talented writers, like Italo Calvino, Alice Munro, Jorge Luis Borges, and Ray Bradbury.
How could a bookworm not enjoy this book?
Included are stories by many prominent and talented writers, like Italo Calvino, Alice Munro, Jorge Luis Borges, and Ray Bradbury.
How could a bookworm not enjoy this book?
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I definitely enjoyed indulging my literary geek! Show Less
LibraryThing member kittyjay
This anthology ranges from American to Italian to Russian to British writers, older works to contemporary, and from the mundane to the fantastic. Each supposedly revolves around librarians or libraries, but some of them are a bit of a stretch. The works that do, however, show no small amount of
It is hard to critique anthologies, particularly ones as diverse as this, but among the gems in this collection were "The Exchange" by Ray Bradbury, which puts to words what readers can only experience, "Gloss on a Decision of the Council of Nicaea" by Joanne Greenberg, who mixes a young librarian's passion for reading into a passion for civil rights, and "A General in the Library" by Italo Calvino, which gives a wry nod and a sly wink to the subtle power of reading.
Others fall a bit flat - I have never been a big fan of Ursula K. Le Guin, and her short story "The Phoenix" failed to win me over. Lorrie Moore, who I had never heard of before, similarly did not impress me. Others were mediocre and almost forgettable.
However, the ones that did impress were lasting. Several of the authors I had never picked up before, despite having familiarity with their names, but after reading them, I immediately checked out more of their work from - where else? - my local library.
This is well-worth a read for librarians or their patrons, as even though all of the stories fail to hit their mark, the ones that do capture the spirit of libraries completely.
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reverence toward those hallowed bastions of knowledge, and librarians or those who love them should find some delight in the stories. It is hard to critique anthologies, particularly ones as diverse as this, but among the gems in this collection were "The Exchange" by Ray Bradbury, which puts to words what readers can only experience, "Gloss on a Decision of the Council of Nicaea" by Joanne Greenberg, who mixes a young librarian's passion for reading into a passion for civil rights, and "A General in the Library" by Italo Calvino, which gives a wry nod and a sly wink to the subtle power of reading.
Others fall a bit flat - I have never been a big fan of Ursula K. Le Guin, and her short story "The Phoenix" failed to win me over. Lorrie Moore, who I had never heard of before, similarly did not impress me. Others were mediocre and almost forgettable.
However, the ones that did impress were lasting. Several of the authors I had never picked up before, despite having familiarity with their names, but after reading them, I immediately checked out more of their work from - where else? - my local library.
This is well-worth a read for librarians or their patrons, as even though all of the stories fail to hit their mark, the ones that do capture the spirit of libraries completely.
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LibraryThing member JBD1
I've had this book on my shelves for years, saving it up for some reason. Turns out I should have just read it years ago so that it could go back out the door again. Very uneven anthology of short stories, each having some connection to libraries, however vague that may be. There are some excellent
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pieces in here, but as a volume it just doesn't hang together well. Go read M.R. James and Saki short stories, you'll have more fun. Show Less
LibraryThing member Cheryl_in_CC_NV
Dang. I hate artsy-fartsy Literature. The characters are neurotic, cruel, confused, hypocritical, hypercritical, and whiny. And they drink too much. I thought a whole collection of stories about people who spend their time connecting the public with enlightenment would have some bright spots, but
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no. Show Less
LibraryThing member TimBazzett
IN THE STACKS was a great buy for a buck, full of fascinating short stories about librarians, libraries, or both. Hard to pick a favorite, but I especially loved the stories from Alice Munro, Francine Prose, John Cheever, Lorrie Moore, Joanne Greenberg, Gina Berriault, Lisa Koger, Sue Kaufman, and,
- Tim Bazzett, author of the memoir, BOOKLOVER
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and … ah, hell, I liked almost all of them. There's even a story by Walter Brooks about Wilbur and Mister Ed. Yeah that TV horse and his guy, that's the one. There were only a few, the older mystery-type chestnuts that didn't appeal. Overall though, a really charming and absorbing collection of very good stories. Thanks to the editor, former Beverly Hills librarian, Michael Cart, for putting them all together here. Highly recommended.- Tim Bazzett, author of the memoir, BOOKLOVER
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Subjects
Language
Original language
English
Physical description
288 p.; 7.9 x 5.3 inches
ISBN
1585674168 / 9781585674169