Complete Short Stories

by Ronald Firbank, Steven Moore (Editor)

Best known for his witty, ingenious novels, Ronald Firbank began his literary apprenticeship as a writer of short stories (or "contes," as he called them), all of which are gathered here for the first time. They were written at a time when the literature of the decadent 1890s was maturing into the modernism of the early twentieth century, a growth reflected here as Firbank works through a variety of styles, genres, and voices, both imitating and subverting the literary models of his day. Written between the ages of seventeen and twenty-two, they are, properly speaking, his juvenilia, and are not to be judged by the standards of his mature work. All the seeds of the later work, however, were planted in this early work, and it is instructive and entertaining to observe Firbank as he tends his literary garden. Ranging from impressionistic prose poems and allegories to sardonic vignettes of high-society life, they all display Firbank's satiric eye and stylistic flair. Only a few of the stories were published commercially; most have been available only in expensive, limited editions, and four stories are published here for the first time from Firbank's manuscripts. Included in a appendix are two other pieces Firbank wrote at the same age―the poem "The Wind & the Roses" and his only venture into art criticism, "An Early Flemish Painter"―and detailed textual notes that give the publishing history for all the works.

Genres: Short Stories

170 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1990

About the author

British novelist Ronald Firbank was born in London, the son of society lady Harriet Jane Garrett and MP Sir Thomas Firbank. He went to Uppingham School, and then on to Trinity Hall, Cambridge. He converted to Catholicism in 1907. In 1909 he left Cambridge, without completing a degree.
Living off his inheritance he travelled around Spain, Italy, the Middle East, and North Africa. Ronald Firbank died of lung disease while in Rome.

Reviews

[Asha Kodah · Rating 4 out of 5]

God bless SM, and the spade work he did at DAP, some of these stories, the last one especially, were fantastic, really quite brilliant prose, RF’s.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

These were fascinating short stories - very modern, but about rich society people in England pre-WWI. This author was referenced in The Mad Boy, Lord Berners, My Grandmother and Me, and sounded interested. This was the only book of his that the San Francisco Library had, but I'd love to read one of his novels.