Ellen Gilchrist: Collected Stories

by Ellen Gilchrist

With the publication of 1983's The Annunciation , Ellen Gilchrist established herself as a teller of charming, bittersweet tales of the modern South. Since then, her works of fiction - sixteen in all - have built up a solid base of dedicated fans.

With her uncanny insights into human character and the bittersweet complications of love, Ellen Gilchrist occupies a unique place in American fiction.

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

560 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 19, 2009

About the author

A writer of poems, short stories, novels, and nonfiction commentaries, Ellen Gilchrist is a diverse writer whom critics have praised repeatedly for her subtle perceptions, unique characters, and sure command of the writer’s voice, as well as her innovative plotlines set in her native Mississippi.

As Sabine Durrant commented in the London Times, her writing “swings between the familiar and the shocking, the everyday and the traumatic.... She writes about ordinary happenings in out of the way places, of meetings between recognizable characters from her other fiction and strangers, above all of domestic routine disrupted by violence.” The world of her fiction is awry; the surprise ending, although characteristic of her works, can still shock the reader. “It is disorienting stuff,” noted Durrant, “but controlled always by Gilchrist’s wry tone and gentle insight.”

She earned her B.A. from Millsaps College in 1967, and later did postgraduate study at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.

She has worked as an author and journalist, as a contributing editor for the Vieux Carre Courier from 1976-1979, and as a commentator on National Public Radio’s Morning Edition from 1984-1985. Her NPR commentaries have been published in her book Falling Through Space.

She won a National Book Award for her 1984 collection of short stories, Victory Over Japan.

Reviews

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been reading these stories off and on since June in between my novels. My friend and I discovered Gilchrist about 35 years ago, but I haven't read much by her lately. It was good to go back to the stories from the time when I first read her and to find those written a decade or so later. I like how she follows certain characters through her books.

[Jo Ann Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my next life I will BE Ellen Gilchrist. I love, love, love this woman's perspective.

[Alec]

#7.4
They pulled Freddy's pack to the stand of pine trees where they had left their own. They tied the straps around a sapling and then found the tent cover and went back for him. The sky was very dark now but they did not notice it because they were ten years old and could live in the present.

[Gotogrrl · Rating 5 out of 5]

34 fantastic short stories. They belong to another time, but have such timeless themes that they're completely relevant. Love this author.

[Vickie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The stories were well written with engaging plots

[Del T · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this collection. Loved that certain characters reappeared throughout and you could track them over time

[Susan]

DNF. The more stories I read, the less I liked her writing. She portrayed offbeat characters, seemingly just to make fun of them.

[behsforensics]

Cutting is for 1944
By Ellen Gilchrist

[Faith Justice · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hefty trade paperback (562 pages)in good condition. A friend sent this to me after I sent her another Gilchrist book Anabasis. I loved these stories. A perfect "bedside book," you can read a story a night and go to sleep smiling. From the back:

"Suffused with wit, irony, and the bittersweet complications of love, the writings of Ellen Gilchrist occupy a unique place in American fiction. From early novels such asThe Annunciation to recent story collections such as Flights of Angels, Gilchrist writes with a keen insight into the foibles of human nature, while narrating the off-kilter lives of her delightful eccentric and unforgettable characters. The stories in this volume, selected by Gilchrist herself, constitute the best--and best-loved--work of one of the finest storytellers in modern southern literature."

[Marta Mellinger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ellen Gilchrist is just about my favorite woman novelist-short story writer. She writes of women that remind me of myself, enough theatricality and wisdom and intelligence but somehow always struggling to learn and know and grow. Her character Rhoda is one of my all time favorites. I especially like her short stories - she has a standard set of short story characters that pop in and out of her stories, so you learn their histories one story at a time, sort of like we do when we are making new friends with someone. Slowly as you read through Gilchrist's entire bibliography, you come to have a rich understanding of these various characters that she clearly loves...and you come to love them too.

[Shaindel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gave me faith in the idea of recurring characters in short stories (something I've decided to try myself since reading this collection). Gilchrist works magic by writing stories about recurring characters at various ages in their lives; for example, we get Rhoda Manning stories when Rhoda is ten years old and when Rhoda is in her fifties and looking back on her life. I absolutely love all of the Norah Jane stories and look forward to reading the collection which is made entirely of stories about this character. Of course, now I'm hooked. I think I'll read anything by Gilchrist.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The characters in her fiction are rich, complex, redeemed and willful. Nora is brave as she faces her pregnancy alone and gives birth to twins virtually on her own, Miss Crystal is a loveable and willful alcoholic who is much more than her behavior illustrates, Freddy is a hopeless and loyal romantic, and Traceleen is my personal favorite with narrations that are vivid and heart-warming. These southern ladies are innovative, eccentric, in pursuit of love and on the rebound from past loves. They are survivors and embody all that makes the South such an interesting place to live. In the vein of Eudora Welty, Gilchrist is a fresh and inspiring voice.

[Rizello · Rating 3 out of 5]

It has been a long while since I have read something by Ellen Gilchrist. In the past, she was one of my favorite authors.

Maybe because it has been a long time, my sensibilities have changed. I just couldn't finish the book after reading about 1/3 of the stories.

It could be that I am not from the South, so these characters don't ring true for me. I have no way of identifying with any of them, and I admit that the main character was not very likeable. Is it really OK to read about the sexual 'awakening' of 8 year olds?

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gilchrist's writing goes down a little easier than Amy Hempel's because Gilchrist's characters lack the teeth and her prose (mostly) lacks the bite of Hempel's. Nevertheless, all of the stories in this book are a joy to read, and what fun to follow some of the same characters throughout their lives.

[Anica Wong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Superb stories, with several spanning the course of the book. Gilchrist's writing is truthful and not shy or hesitant. I always felt like something was going to happen in the stories. And while something inevitably did, Gilchrist didn't make those somethings big or bold, but instead, true to what real life is like.

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Ellen Gilchrist. Her stories are vivid and full of life. After reading a few of them, you want to dive into her world. I just had my Freshman class read "Starlight Express" and they all said they wanted the story to be longer! I think that is a good sign from a bunch of 14 year olds.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great introduction to this wonderful southern writer.

[Otter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am re-reading Ellen Gilchrist. I love Traceleen's character and especially the story, Traceleen Turn's East, from Light is Both Wave and Particle.

[Beth Shields-Szostak]

1st edition

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

After her book, "Rhoda", this is my favorite.

[Boris · Rating 1 out of 5]

Stopped in the middle. I just couldn't find anything interesting in these stories. Characters? Plot? Narrative?

[Charlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent mix of stories and characters. Could not put it down. Will be reading more by this author.