Comments on: Let's Call the Whole Thing Off

By: A Russian Affair | Paperback Reader

A Russian Affair | Paperback Reader — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 12:54:47 +0000

[...] his short stories here and there; one of the stories, “The House with the Mezzanine” I read last year in the anthology, Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off: Love Quarrels from Anton Chekhov [...]

By: Paperback Reader

Paperback Reader — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 22:11:02 +0000

Eva, it's one of the most successful anthologies that I've read yet (although I've just started The Virago Book of Ghost Stories so we'll see how lucky I am with that).

By: Eva

Eva — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:18:07 +0000

Oh! I've been trying to read more story anthologies this year, but I'm having problems with them. So this one sounds good!

By: Paperback Reader

Paperback Reader — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 17:17:53 +0000

Thanks for the link! I was lazy and didn't link to it :s. I am still making up my mind on that last line of Lapin and Lapinova as it is definitely abrupt.

By: Lizzy Siddal

Lizzy Siddal — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 17:09:03 +0000

I have to agree that this is a strong anthology. I'm still dipping in and out but it's interested that you've featured two of the stories I mentioned in my own review.

http://lizzysiddal.wordpress.com/2009/02/15/tss-tiff-lit-split-lit-lets-call-the-whole-thing-off/

By: Paperback Reader

Paperback Reader — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 16:49:13 +0000

Steph, I think that's a sensible idea. I read a great comment on one of Simon's posts recently on short stories that likened reading a volume of short stories by the one writer as attempting to read another's novels consecutively – you are bound to get some repetition.

I'd also say that starting with Virginia Woolf's short stories would be wise too. She is very witty and not as doom and gloom as people think. She has a few volumes of collected short stories (Hesperus Press published some) and I've been impressed by what I've read so far. "The New Dress" is another short story of hers that comes to mind.

By: Paperback Reader

Paperback Reader — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 16:42:06 +0000

Rebecca, this anthology definitely brings together some of the best short story writes together as well as some very good (and mainly amusing) short stories.

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 16:02:29 +0000

I don't normally read short stories, but this sounds like it could be the sort of thing to get me into reading them. Thanks for your thoughts on it – I may have to pick up a copy of it.

By: Steph

Steph — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 13:30:10 +0000

I generally don't have good luck with short story collections, but I wonder if I might do better with anthologies? When I read Lahiri's second collection, Unaccustomed Earth, I got pretty fed up because practically every story was the same there… it really put me off of her. With each story I read, I liked her less! But I'd be interested in checking out some of the other authors who are included in this collection (Virginia Woolf scares me, so maybe a short story is the place to start…)!

By: Paperback Reader

Paperback Reader — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 12:32:50 +0000

Thomas, never fear! If I was going to break it off then I wouldn't do it so publicly, I'd send an email .

JoAnn, that's a great idea! In the review of Lizzy Siddal's that I read of this (after I had borrowed the book and she endorsed and pointed me to her review) she said that it was an alternative to flowers and chocolates for Valentine's Day. I do enjoy holiday-themed reading.