Collected Stories

Rating:
Summary: Boring boredom from The Boremaster
Review: Am I the only Earthling who hates Bellow more than life itself? Somehow I doubt it. Bellow's so profoundly shallow he makes Jacqueline Susann look like a paragon of psychological depth. Contrary to Martin Amis's claim, Saul happens to be a soulless wonder.

I discovered Bellow by way of Woody Allen (himself a master boremonger). Woody wrote a story called NO KADDISH FOR WEINSTEIN, which I later found out was a parody of Bellow. NO KADDISH was pure cartoon comedy, so I made the assumption that Bellow himself had actual depth & resonance. Boy was I wrong. Most of Bellow's stuff is as cartoonish as Woody's stuff. And it might bore you to know that both Saul & Woody are terminally addicted to the exact sort of self-congratulatory lit-chat name-dropping that infects Martin Amis's stuff.

The obvious question is why COLLECTED STORIES contains an introduction by James Wood instead of one by Amis. And I think I know the answer: pure laziness on Amis's part. Amis probably didn't have enough time to make the publishing deadline. (He was too busy coining deathless phrases like "a navel traumatized by bijouterie".)

But the bigger question is: what in the name of Crap does James Wood see in Bellow? Because I sure as heck can't see it. Wood keeps gushing about Bellow's descriptive verbiage and metaphor-coinage to the point where Wood sounds just like Amis. My guess is that Wood is intrigued by Bellow's vague Platonic religioso palavering. (This Platonism is also present in RAVELSTEIN.)

I'm not *entirely* ill-disposed toward Saul. I admire him for breaking Amis's heart by damning NIGHT TRAIN with faint praise. Plus ya gotta admire Saul for butching it out and outliving Bob Hope. I genuinely did Saul's taste in snap-brim hats. He's commendable for a multitude of reasons. Unfortunately, the manufacture of Fine Quality Entertainment isn't one of them.

Rating:
Summary: On Bellow
Review: Critics have often named Saul Bellow and Faulkner in the same laudatory, esteeming sentence. This juxtaposition is most correct in its comparison of the respective artistry of their short story craft. Bellow is a superior novelist and writer.

This is a superb collection of short stories. The Preface is finely and charmingly written by Janis Bellow, which allows us a brief, intimate glimpse of Bellow the writer.

This anthology includes: "The Bellarosa Connection," "Looking for Mr. Green," "Zetland," "Mosby's Memoirs," and "Something to Remember Me By," among others.

Long live the urban Jewish intelligentsia. I also highly recommend Bellow's novels, esp. Augie March, Humboldt's Gift, and Ravelstein.

Rating:
Summary: On Bellow
Review: Critics have often named Saul Bellow and Faulkner in the same laudatory, esteeming sentence. This juxtaposition is most correct in its comparison of the respective artistry of their short story craft. Bellow is a superior novelist and writer.

This is a superb collection of short stories. The Preface is finely and charmingly written by Janis Bellow, which allows us a brief, intimate glimpse of Bellow the writer.

This anthology includes: "The Bellarosa Connection," "Looking for Mr. Green," "Zetland," "Mosby's Memoirs," and "Something to Remember Me By," among others.

Long live the urban Jewish intelligentsia. I also highly recommend Bellow's novels, esp. Augie March, Humboldt's Gift, and Ravelstein.

Rating:
Summary: 1st Time Reader-Lifetime Reader
Review: I am fourteen years old and have been reading avidly since I was ten. I go to the bookstore everyday and I came across this Collection of Stories on the Staff Recommendation shelf.I had no clue who Saul Bellow was, but the cover looked very intriguing, due to my infatuation with oldies cars and Black and White photography. So I had the book held and the next day I came back with my allowance and bought it.On my way home, I had a haircut. Two people in the barbershop said something vague about the author. I didn't take too much notice. When I finally arrived home, I showed my parents the book, and the applauded, explaining that all on my own I had picked out one of the best American authors this century has known. That night I went to bed early and sped through the first two stories; 'By the St. Lawrence' and 'A Silver Dish'. They were both some of the best mixtures of the English language that I have ever read.
I am a writer and so I am very serious when I say that this book is one of the best examples of written art ever painted. If I could, I would give it six-stars!

Rating:
Summary: Every Story Deserves A Review
Review: I am stunned that no one else has commented on this selection of short stories by The Nobel Laureate Saul Bellow. It may be that readers are more accustomed to his novels, but to miss these 13 stories and an Afterword by the author is to miss great literature. The writer's comments at the end are deserving of being counted as a separate piece of non-fiction within this collection.

While all will chose their own favorites from this collection, it will likely be based on the personal impact a given story has, and not the caliber of the writing itself. The author provides portraits of people and slices of their lives that are uniformly excellent. While it is true that most of the book's contents takes place in Chicago he also steps well beyond the Loop and the State of Illinois to render some of the most interesting of his characters. You will meet Hattie Waggoner in, "Leaving The Yellow House". This tale set in a remote Texas town reminded me of similar moods that John Steinbeck once created. "Him With His Foot In His Mouth", begins as an apology for an off-hand remark made decades ago. The protagonist has been driven to write to the target of his quip after being reminded of it by a one-time friend. What begins, as a simple apology becomes a massive, cathartic and rambling epistle that invokes every emotion and so many flaws that are human.

Mr. Bellow also produces players that are philosophers, men and women of letters, con artists, opportunists, and portraits of family that range from the humorous to incredibly tragic. It is to some degree a fault to say this is the first time I have read this man's work. It is wonderful as well for there is a large body of his work that is waiting to be explored.

His personal comments in the Afterword will likely resonate with all who enjoy excellent writing, and agree that the quantity of books that is offered today bears no relation to the quality. He also shares his thoughts on what it is that great writing competes with for reader's attention, and these comments are as accurate as they are sad. This collection of short, and not so short stories will meet or exceed any collection of similar work you may find.

Rating:
Summary: Mr. Bellow, One of Our Living National Treasures
Review: It would be superfluous to add anything to Mr. Wood's introductory essay. The story "The Bellarosa Connection", for my part, is worth the price of the book.

Rating:
Summary: Splendid Collection Of Saul Bellow's Best Short Stories
Review: Those who have enjoyed Saul Bellow's great novels over the years will rejoice at this excellent collection of his finest short stories. Spanning decades, they resonate with much joy and understanding of the human condition, vividly portrayed by Bellow's graceful, erudite prose. Most of the tales are set in Chicago, describing the lives of an intriguing assortment of Midwestern characters, ranging from con men to businessmen. It's hard for me to choose one story as a personal favorite, though the last tale, "Something To Remember Me By", is a hilarious look at Prohibition Era Chicago, replete with speakeasies and references to mobster Al Capone. Without question, Saul Bellow remains one of North America's greatest literary treasures. After reading "Mr. Sammler's Planet", "Seize the Day", "Herzog", "Henderson the Rain King", or the rest of his great literary works, you'll surely want to read "Saul Bellow: Collected Stories".