Rating: 
Summary: 900 Grandmothers have forever endeared me to science fiction
Review: As a reader of science fiction, I've encountered many poorly plotted and conceived, shoddily written and edited publications within that genre. Lafferty, however, is one of the best short story writers I've encountered who combines the art of concentrating a wonderful story within a few pages with a wryful wit that is a pleasure to read. I have found his stories and plots to be better conceived than most popular writers; his desire to produce a good story exceeds all else. Finally, even though 900 Grandmothers is most definitely science fiction and fantasy, the social commentary is apparent. As other writers before him, such as Voltaire, Mark Twain, and Swift, by placing these stories into such fantastical settings, the social irony is extracted into a purified form, and becomes even more biting.
Rating: 
Summary: One of Lafferty's finest collections
Review: How on earth do you describe Lafferty? You can't. Think of a mad uncle telling tall tales. Sometimes he reminds me of Cordwainer Smith, sometimes of Daniil Kharms. He's unique.
This is probably the best introduction to his short stories, although there is rather more pure SF in here than you'll find in some of the other collections. It doesn't contain all of his best stories (such as the wonderful "Been a long, long time" in the collection "Ringing changes") but it's got a fair bunch of them.
There's currently a volunteer project under way to publish the Collected Works of Jack Vance, the Vance Integral Edition (VIE). I wish there was a similar bunch of dedicated people doing a LIE.
Rating:
Summary: 900 Grandmothers have forever endeared me to science fiction
Review: Indulging in queer ideas and silly situations, RA Lafferty is a dispossessed Irishman full of blarney and keen intelligence. His use of language evokes bardic/gaelic storytelling, a lyrical sing song which perfectly conveys strange worlds and odd perspectives.His science fiction forever changed my perspective on the genre. His novel about Indians, Okla Hannali, is a great, "oral" re-telling of the Trail of Tears and other episodes in the history of the Cherokee, as viewed from the perspective of the eponymous hero.
Rating:
Summary: A laughing Irishman's sci-fi
Review: Indulging in queer ideas and silly situations, RA Lafferty is a dispossessed Irishman full of blarney and keen intelligence. His use of language evokes bardic/gaelic storytelling, a lyrical sing song which perfectly conveys strange worlds and odd perspectives. His science fiction forever changed my perspective on the genre. His novel about Indians, Okla Hannali, is a great, "oral" re-telling of the Trail of Tears and other episodes in the history of the Cherokee, as viewed from the perspective of the eponymous hero.
Rating:
Summary: Insightfull, often hilarious short stories from the 1960s
Review: Not all the stories are hits, but all make you reaccess your perspectives on history and reality. My copy (Ace Science Fiction paperback) was published in 1970, and cost $.95. If you can find a copy, the title story will forever alter your view on humor.
Rating:
Summary: Nothing else like it
Review: R. A. Lafferty, "the cranky old man from Tulsa," has written some fine novels: OKLA HANNALI, THE DEVIL IS DEAD, FOURTH MANSIONS, and others equally good. However, his weird (but wise) view of the world is at its best in his short fiction. NINE HUNDRED GRANDMOTHERS is his best single collection, one of the true landmark collections of modern fiction. It's amazing that such a wonderful collection hasn't had more influence, but then again it's hard to imagine anyone else writing anything even remotely like a Lafferty story except as a pastiche or tribute. He's that different. The stories here include many of his best: the title story, "Ginny Wrapped in the Sun," "Slow Tuesday Night," "Thus We Frustrate Charlemagne," "Narrow Valley," "Hog-Belly Honey," "The Hole on the Corner," "Name of the Snake," and others. The only excuse for not buying this is that you're waiting for the collected Lafferty!
Rating:
Summary: The Master's Best Collection
Review: R. A. Lafferty, "the cranky old man from Tulsa," has written some fine novels: OKLA HANNALI, THE DEVIL IS DEAD, FOURTH MANSIONS, and others equally good. However, his weird (but wise) view of the world is at its best in his short fiction. NINE HUNDRED GRANDMOTHERS is his best single collection, one of the true landmark collections of modern fiction. It's amazing that such a wonderful collection hasn't had more influence, but then again it's hard to imagine anyone else writing anything even remotely like a Lafferty story except as a pastiche or tribute. He's that different. The stories here include many of his best: the title story, "Ginny Wrapped in the Sun," "Slow Tuesday Night," "Thus We Frustrate Charlemagne," "Narrow Valley," "Hog-Belly Honey," "The Hole on the Corner," "Name of the Snake," and others. The only excuse for not buying this is that you're waiting for the collected Lafferty!
Rating:
Summary: Nothing else like it
Review: R.A. Lafferty describes description. Even his fans can't tell you whether his stories are science fiction, fantasy, horror, comedy, social commentary, farce, or satire. Nine Hundred Grandmothers is Lafferty's masterpiece, a collection of two dozen of the most unusual, funny, deranged, haunting short stories you will ever read. Tales like "Thus We Frustrate Charlemagne", "Hog-Belly Honey", and "Slow Tuesday Night" will stick in the most remote recesses of your mind forever. Wacky characters encounter even wackier characters in the most bizarre circumstances imaginable, all told in the down-home, conversational style of an old country storyteller. Soon Lafferty lulls you into believing that these weird goings-on are perfectly normal and *you're* the one who's odd. And then things *really* get strange.... I have read perhaps 10,000 books in my lifetime. This wonderful short story collection is simply my favorite of them all. Great to see it back in print.
Rating:
Summary: Lafferty is a genius
Review: The "cranky old man from Tulsa" is one the great eccentrics of fantastical literature.His stylish, tumultuous, absurdist and sui generis short stories often blends theological speculations, satire, black humour, conspiracies, cartoonish humour..UUUFFFFFFF.He is a conscious stylist that assaults the reader with torrents of words, invention and craziness not often encountered in any kind of literature.On the surface his short stories seems to be aimed only to entertain ( and they DO entertain !! ) but more often than not they address serious issues. NINE HUNDRED GRANDMOTHERS is a fine introduction to Lafferty and shoudn't be missed .
Contents:
Nine Hundred Grandmothers ========== *****
Land of the Great Horses =========== ****
Ginny Wrapped in the Sun =========== **
The Six Fingers of Time ============ *****
Frog on the Mountain =============== ****
All the People ===================== ****
Primary Education of the Camiroi==== **1/2
Slow Tuesday Night ================= ***1/2
Snuffles =========================== ****
Thus We Frustrate Charlemagne ====== ****
Name of the Snake ================== *****
Narrow Valley ====================== *****
Polity and Custom of the Camiroi === **
In Our Block ======================= ****
Hog-Belly Honey ==================== ****
Seven Day Terror =================== ****
The Hole on the Corner ============= ****
What's the Name of that Town ? ===== ****12
Through Other Eyes ================= *****
One at a Time ====================== ***1/2
Guesting Time ====================== ***1/2
Rating:
Summary: In the beginning was laughter
Review: The title story is one of my two all-time favorites. (Laugherty wrote the other, as well.) Laugherty paints creation as a delicious joke, and any time I need to warm up my soul, I think of his nine hundred tiny, giggling old ladies.
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