Some Of Us Had Been Threatening Our Friend Colby

by Donald Barthelme

Includes nine short stories: "Some of Us Had Been Threatening Our Friend Colby", "The Glass Mountain", "I Bought a Little City", "The Palace at Four AM", "Chablis", "The School", "Margins", "Game", and "The Balloon".

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Classics, Humor, The United States Of America, Literature

75 pages, Paperback

First published February 15, 2011

About the author

Unspeakable Practices, Unnatural Acts (1968) apparently collects sometimes surrealistic stories of modern life of American writer Donald Barthelme.

A student at the University of Pennsylvania bore Donald Barthelme. Two years later, in 1933, the family moved to Texas, where father of Barthelme served as a professor of architecture at the University of Houston, where Barthelme later majored in journalism.

In 1951, this still student composed his first articles for the Houston Post. The Army drafted Barthelme, who arrived in Korea on 27 July 1953, the very day, when parties signed the ceasefire, ending the war. He served briefly as the editor of a newspaper of Army before returning to the United States and his job at the Houston Post. Once back, he continued his studies of philosophy at the University of Houston. He continued to take classes until 1957 but never received a degree. He spent much of his free time in “black” jazz clubs of Houston and listened to musical innovators, such as Lionel Hampton and Peck Kelly; this experience influenced him later.

Barthelme, a rebellious son, struggled in his relationship with his demanding father. In later years, they tremendously argued about the kinds of literature that interested Barthelme. His avant-garde father in art and aesthetics in many ways approved not the postmodern and deconstruction schools. The Dead Father and The King , the novels, delineate attitude of Barthelme toward his father as King Arthur and Lancelot, the characters, picture him. From the Roman Catholicism of his especially devout mother, Barthelme independently moved away, but this separation as the distance with his father troubled Barthelme. He ably agreed to strictures of his seemingly much closer mother.

Barthelme went to teach for brief periods at Boston University and at University at Buffalo, and he at the college of the City of New York served as distinguished visiting professor from 1974-1975. He married four times. Helen Barthelme, his second wife, later entitled a biography Donald Barthelme: The Genesis of a Cool Sound , published in 2001. With Birgit Barthelme, his third wife and a Dane, he fathered Anne Barthelme, his first child, a daughter. He married Marion Barthelme near the end and fathered Kate Barthelme, his second daughter. Marion and Donald wed until his death from throat cancer. People respect fiction of Frederick Barthelme and Steven Barthelme, brothers of Donald Barthelme and also teachers at The University of Southern Mississippi.

Reviews

[Glenn Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Donald Barthelme (1931-1989) - American author of some of the most charming, curious, quizzical, probing short stories every written.

Alienation, absurdity and the reality of death, themes central to the existential imagination, receive powerful expression in two unforgettable French classics: Jean-Paul Sartre’s The Wall and Albert Camus’ The Stranger. Readers have come to expect such serious, penetrating works are part of the rich European literary tradition.

But, we may ask, how will these stark twentieth century existential themes translate when exported to America, the land of Daffy Duck, Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound and Gomer Pyle? Turns out, we are provided a clear answer with Some of Us Had Been Threatening Our Friend Colby, the title story in this Donald Barthelme collection about a young man sentenced to death, American-style.

The narrator tells us in so many words and with home-spun informality how it all started back when some of his group began threatening Colby due to the way he kept carrying on. But, dang, Colby didn’t stop; now he really did it – he went too far. So the group decided to hang him. Colby complained that, although, sure, he went too far, he didn’t deserve to be hanged, since everybody goes too far now and again. They all ignored Colby’s bellyaching and asked what music he would like played the day of his hanging. Colby said he’d take his own sweet time and think it over. Oh, no - they had to know fast since the conductor, Howard, had to find some musicians so he could start rehearsals. Thus begins this short tale of existential absurdity with a decidedly down-home, rustic American twist, including a hefty dose of Barthelme signature humor.

In honor of the years Donald Barthelme spent living and teaching in the state of Texas, let’s give our narrator a good ol’ boy Texas name: Buck. Well, Buck goes on to inform us how Colby initially picked out his music, Ives’s Fourth Symphony, but Howard rejected Colby’s choice, claiming such music would require a huge orchestra and chorus as well as weeks of rehearsals, all of which was nothing but a delay tactic.

Another serious issue, so Buck tells us, was the printed invitations: “What if one of them fell into the hands of the authorities? Hanging Colby was doubtless against the law, and if the authorities learned in advance what the plan was they would very likely come in and try to mess everything up.” Such a revealer of the Americans mindset, particularly in the Wild West and in states like Texas: people want to do what they want to do and detest even the thought of possible government interference. To avoid having any of those pesky government agencies sticking a meddling nose into their business, Buck and his gang come up with a perfect solution: “We decided to refer to the event as “An Event Involving Mr. Colby Williams.” A handsome script was selected from a catalogue and we picked a cream-colored paper.”

Next on the agenda is the question of liquor. Actually, since this is rural America or Texas or the Wild West, the question isn’t if liquor will be served but what liquor will be served. Colby thought drinks would be nice but he was concerned about the expense, to which Buck and the gang pipe up to let Colby know they are all his dear friends and he shouldn’t worry his head about the expense. Ah, friendship! And then Colby asks if he can have a drink. The answer from his dear friends is instant and unanimous -- they all exclaim: “Certainly!” Ah, dear friendship, Texas-style!

Buck and his group are down to the nitty-gritty details, things like the gibbet and its construction, including the mechanics of the gibbet’s trap door, what type of wood, how will the gibbet look out in the countryside? Now these American buckaroos can really get their emotional juices flowing since they are talking mechanical engineering rather than bothering themselves about what it means to end the life of a fellow human.

Reflecting on the tradition of the Wild West and the fact that they will be hanging Colby in the balmy month of June, Buck suggests a nice looking tree, say an oak, rather than a gibbet. The gang put the choice of gibbet or tree to Colby; Colby, in turn, asks if they aren't being a little Draconian! Draconian - such a big word, Colby – if for no other reason than using such a big word among your dear friends, you deserve to be dancing on the end of a rope!

The black humor of this flash fiction turns even blacker. Read the story itself, either in this collection, in the Penguin edition of Donald Barthelme’s Forty Stories or via this link:
http://jessamyn.com/barth/colby.html

[Adina ( back from Vacay…slowly recovering) · Rating 2 out of 5]

The rating is only for the title story which I read in Funny Ha ha anthology. Colby's friends organize his hanging party because he went to far. Colby gets to choose the hanging apparel, such as tree or scaffold and so on. It was strange, nonsensical and not funny to me. Since it was part of an anthology of comic stories, I should have laughed, or at least smile. I didn't, hence the 2*

[Dream.M · Rating 3 out of 5]

۹ داستان کوتاه در سبک پست مدرن، من خوندن شون رو دوست داشتم. سبک دیوانه واریه بنظرم و طنزش بهم می‌سازه .
بخصوص داستان اول از همه جذاب‌تر و قابل فهم تره .

[فؤاد · Rating 3 out of 5]

مجموعه داستان پست مدرن
داستانی که عنوانش رو به کتاب داده بهترین داستان مجموعه بود، که قبلاً جداگانه خونده بودمش. هر چند داستان های بازی و مدرسه و بالن رو هم دوست داشتم.

[Korcan Derinsu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yazarla ilk tanışmam. Klasik öyküden kah biçim kah içerik olarak oldukça uzak öyküler var. Bazıları gerçekten çok etkileyici, ilham verici. Bütününe sirayet eden, sınırları zorlamaya çalışan deneysel yaklaşımı hoşuma gitti. Öykülerin kendisinden ziyade farklı bakış açısından etkilendim. Yazarın diğer kitaplarına da illa bakarım.

[. · Rating 4 out of 5]

ترجیحا هرکسی میخواد بخونه نسخه زبان اصلی بخونه، سانسور مثله کرده کتابو

[Dhia Nouioui · Rating 2 out of 5]

Awwe, I love it when homies take care of each other, it makes you gain faith in humanity again.

[Lea · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of strange and very unusual short stories. I especially liked the title story "Some Of Us Had Been Threatening Our Friend Colby" but I liked all of them. They walk the line of dread, dark humor and nonsense quite well.

[Aleksandr Rubtsov · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bunch of odd, hilarious, at times - heart-wrenching, at times - absurd stories that I utterly enjoyed.

[semiha · Rating 4 out of 5]

cok cok sevdim ya hikayeleri, ozellikle aralarindan bazilarini. ufak bir sehir aldim ve okul favorilerim olmakla beraber kitabin adini aldigi hikaye ve balona da bayildim. aralarindan ozellikle sevmedigim olmadi bile. cok kisa ve keyifli bir kitap, onerilir.
ve keske lisede olsak ve bir ib english b dersinde bu hikayeleri inceliyor olsak, tam sinifla okuma ve teorileme kitabi bence.

[Felipe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Estava lendo um ou outro comentário sobre o recente Lincoln no Limbo, romance super hypado e premiado de George Saunders, e invariavelmente todos evocavam Donald Barthelme nas tentativas de compreender e esquadrinhar o aparentemente curiosíssimo trabalho. Não me demorei, encontrei essa breve compilação de alguns de seus contos mais famosos (?), e depois de lê-los em pouco menos de uma hora me senti na obrigação de uma releitura, e e depois da releitura fiquei com a leve impressão de que descobri uma outra literatura. Nova, louca, violenta, urgente, divertida, virtuosa, literatura. Barthelme descreve o absurdo como alguém que compreende o absurdo profundamente, como alguém para quem o absurdo não é a forma invertida de ver o mundo, apenas a forma complementar. O conto que dá título ao volume é uma minúscula e impressionante história de crimes, castigos, e amizades cujos contratos se fazem cobrar. Leiam esse homem, pelamor. ps: Creio eu que a única tradução brasileira de Barthelme é o romance O Pai Morto. Uma pena, mas se você lê em inglês corra atrás.

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

i enjoyed 'some of us had been threatening our friend colby'
as well as 'the palace at 4am' and 'the balloon'

those stories alone are what made the book 'worth reading to me'
i like the 'way'/'perspective' he chooses to develop a story
seems unconventional

for example 'the palace at 4am' is i guess a love story
but it is a series of letters sent from the king's advisor to what we later realize is his wife/ex-lover who lost him
the advisor sends excerpts of the autobiography the king is writing
and through these excerpts we are told the story of how they met
the point of these letters is to convey the king's yearning/desire for her return
and also to convince her to return, also the idea that each individual interprets the events
that may happen to both of them in a subjective manner
i always like being reminded of the subjectivity of experience i think

[Kirsty · Rating 5 out of 5]

'The Palace at 4AM' is possibly the best short story about love I've ever read.

[Mohammad Mallaki · Rating 4 out of 5]

خیلی خیلی خوب بود! خیلی با سبکش احساس نزدیکی کردم

[Οδυσσέας Μουζίλης · Rating 4 out of 5]

Δεν (περι)γράφω άλλο 😛

https://pepperlines.blogspot.com/2025...

[Roj☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

تجربه‌ی خوندن این کتاب واقعا برام جالب بود پر از طنزهای زهرآلود. ولی ای کاش زبان اصلی رو می‌خوندم. ترجمه‌ی فارسی این کتاب با نشر روزگار نو چندین اشتباه‌تایپی داره(!!!!!) و ترجمه یه سری جاها خیلی گنگ کرده متن رو.

[Liv (LivTheBookNerd) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read for my comp 2 class. Really enjoyed it. Currently writing a paper on the themes used in the story.

[iliooon]

« Η ζωή μου», είπε ο Έντουαρντ. «Γιατί μου τη θυμίζεις;»

[Zoha Mortazavi · Rating 3 out of 5]

چندتا از داستان‌ها را (از جمله و مخصوصا همان داستان اول که اسم مجموعه هم هست) خیلی دوست داشتم، مابقی اِی. بهرحال بارتلمی کوتاه‌نویس، گزنده و بامزه است، پس چرا که نه.

[Marcello De Wit · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first short story: "Some of Us Had Been Threatening Our Friend Colby" is one of the funniest short stories I ever read. The others are alright

[Mallary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this short story. No only did I love it, but I laughed heartily through the whole thing. Colby has "gone too far" and he sits there and provides input about the punishment he should receive. Fantastic.

[Jan Moens · Rating 5 out of 5]

9/10

[Josie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. The eponymous short story is my fave - witty and callous.

[Sepideh Tafazzoli · Rating 4 out of 5]

so simple...so entertaining...so fantastic!

[Negar · Rating 4 out of 5]

با اینکه لحن داستان منو میخندوند اما از درون گریه کردم....

[Adele Emami · Rating 4 out of 5]

"the fact that nobody has ever gone TOO FAR again"

friends should care about each other even in hard times...

[Morvarid · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best short stories I've ever read!

[Spiros Γλύκας · Rating 4 out of 5]

Η γραφή του Barthelme είναι άμεση, καλοζυγισμένη, δεν περισσεύει τίποτα, δε θα βρείτε εδώ σχοινοτενείς περιγραφές αλλά ούτε περιττούς διαλόγους. Τα διηγήματα του Barthelme είναι γραμμένα με τέτοιο τρόπο έτσι ώστε να σου δίνουν την εντύπωση ότι έχουν περάσει από ψιλό κόσκινο έχοντας ως αποτέλεσμα να απομένει μια πλούσια λογοτεχνική μαγιά, απόλαυση για τον εκάστοτε αναγνώστη ο οποίος θα μπει στη λογική να αναζητήσει τι κρύβεται πίσω από ένα τεράστιο μπαλόνι που καλύπτει την πόλη, ένα γυάλινο βουνό που ορθώνεται στη γωνία δυο λεωφόρων, την κονσόλα από την οποία ελέγχονται πύραυλοι έτοιμοι να σκορπίσουν την καταστροφή ή την αδυναμία να γίνει κάτι δημιουργικό σ' ένα σχολείο όπου κάθε προσπάθεια πέφτει στο κενό. Κι αν τα παραπάνω είναι στοιχεία μερικών απ' τις ιστορίες του Barthelme, το κατατοπιστικό επίμετρο στο τέλος ... Περισσότερα εδώ: https://spirosglykas.blogspot.com/202...

[Sharon Bidwell · Rating 3 out of 5]

These short stories read at face value might well leave the reader asking WTH did I just read? The first story of the title screams satire (against capital punishment), which gives us a clue, though some of the other tales are harder to interpret. On the one hand these stories read as nonsense, and it can be a struggle to work out what the author’s actually talking about. My mind wandered, though I can appreciate the surreal world Barthelme presents to tell his type of fiction. I nevertheless have to wonder if something like this would ever see publication today and I can’t call them enjoyable or particularly thought-provoking.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Some of Us Had Been Threatening Our Friend Colby"- Black humor done well. It's a fun read that keeps you enough on edge with the gravity of the situation.

"The Glass Mountain" A bit too absurdist for my taste, but not terrible.

"The School"- This one is just great. Really well done.

"Game"- I liked this one, though it doesn't as much progression as I'd like.

"The Balloon"- Good start that just kind of goes nowhere. Eh.

Couldn't find the rest online, sadly.