Comments on: THE LONELY VOICE: A New Column About The Short Story by Peter Orner

By: Rochelle

Rochelle — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 17:35:14 +0000

As someone who l-o-v-e-s the short story, I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed this post!

By: craig

craig — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 21:14:49 +0000

Anything that supports and brings attention to the underrated and under-appreciated form of the short story is fine by me. Good post, and, to all short story lovers out there: keep reading stories and try converting all your friends.

By: Angie Kirk

Angie Kirk — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 21:58:27 +0000

Well thank God, Peter… This gives me something akin to a conversation about writing here in LA. It’s a much needed addition to my current method: reading and searching out stuff and talking to myself about it, or worse yet to people who don’t really give a damn and just hope the crazy girl will go away.

By: Jim Freeman

Jim Freeman — Sun, 31 May 2009 15:22:07 +0000

Charles May’s comment brings up an interesting question about the difference between buzz and braun, the good and bad, different and indifferent. I have the prejudice that writing is like conversation. Some people we enjoy talking with, some knock us over with their intellect and some are not worth the time. But they are all (excepting my aunt) interesting to someone. Thus it is that I am unable to read Faulkner, but understand he’s a great writer. I can’t get Peter Orner wrapped around Elmore Leonard, either. Great column, but then Peter is a great writer and conversationalist. Enough of this fawning–he’ll get a head too big for his closet.

By: Charles May

Charles May — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 16:29:05 +0000

Thank you, Peter, for beginning a column that, as a long-time fan of the short story, I will read regularly. However, as much as I like for the form to get publicity, the buzz around Wells Tower’s book is, I think, just noisy buzz. I read it and found it mostly just “smoke and mirrors,” with no heart and little depth. I mean, it is fun to read, and I did laugh out loud in places, but I don’t think it should be held up as a representative of good short story writing. For great short story writing, I think you will agree, we should go to William Trevor, Alice Munro, David Means, Joy Williams, Alistair MacLeod. I look forward to your next column. Oh, and thank you also for the Esther Stories. may-on-the-short-story.blogspot.com

By: Mark Follman

Mark Follman — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 19:21:36 +0000

Great stuff, Peter. With commercial “value” as the measure, anyway, the short story seems to share that fate with jazz (“Help keep jazz alive!” etc.) Count me among those looking forward to your further musings about this vital if under-appreciated form.

By: Jared

Jared — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 02:02:39 +0000

As I was reading your column, someone on the sidewalk outside my Seattle apartment was launching curses into his telephone, interminably. It was a nice supplement to your thoughts on the Peter Taylor story, and I will henceforth read your column with my window open.

Anyway, this was solid, and I look forward to your following posts.

By: Pam

Pam — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 00:00:36 +0000

This is going to be a wonderful series to look forward to. And I was thrilled that Peter Taylor was the first author you discussed. Another story of his I also like is “Cookie.”

By: Elaine

Elaine — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 16:57:01 +0000

This article series is a fantastic idea. Thanks Peter.

By: Peter

Peter — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 20:54:02 +0000

Jason, you can find the story in Taylor’s book ” The Old Forest and Other Stories” (Picador 1996)