Great Classic Stories III

Great Classic Stories (BBC Audio)

by Ambrose Bierce (Contributor)

A great new collection of classic short fiction, brilliantly read by a selection of narrators. This recording includes the following stories: The Lightening-Rod Man by Herman Melville One of the Missing by Ambrose Bierce The Leopard Mans Story by Jack London Tennessees Partner by Bret Harte The New Catacomb by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle A Pair of Silk Stockings by Kate Chopin My Watch and The Widows Protest by Mark Twain An Ideal Family by Kate Mansfield A Painful Case by James Joyce Small Fry by Anton Chekhov The Road from Colonus by E. M. Forster Silhouettes by Jerome K Jerome The Voice of the City by O. Henry Dalyrimple Goes Wrong by F. Scott Fitzgerald The Diamond Mine by Willa Cather The Man with the Golden Brain by Alphonse Daudet Morella by Edgar Allan Poe The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant The Portrait by Edith Wharton The Philosopher in the Apple Orchard by Anthony Hope Monkey Nuts by D. H. Lawrence.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Classics, Audiobook

1 pages, Audio CD

First published September 20, 2011

About the author

died perhaps 1914

Caustic wit and a strong sense of horror mark works, including In the Midst of Life (1891-1892) and The Devil's Dictionary (1906), of American writer Ambrose Gwinett Bierce.

People today best know this editorialist, journalist, and fabulist for his short story, An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge and his lexicon.

The informative sardonic view of human nature alongside his vehemence as a critic with his motto, "nothing matters," earned him the nickname "Bitter Bierce."

People knew Bierce despite his reputation as a searing critic, however, to encourage younger poet George Sterling and fiction author W.C. Morrow.

Bierce employed a distinctive style especially in his stories. This style often embraces an abrupt beginning, dark imagery, vague references to time, limited descriptions, the theme of war, and impossible events.

Bierce disappeared in December 1913 at the age of 71 years. People think that he traveled to Mexico to gain a firsthand perspective on ongoing revolution of that country.

Theories abound on a mystery, ultimate fate of Bierce. He in one of his final letters stated: "Good-bye. If you hear of my being stood up against a Mexican stone wall and shot to rags, please know that I think it is a pretty good way to depart this life. It beats old age, disease, or falling down the cellar stairs. To be a Gringo in Mexico--ah, that is euthanasia!"

Reviews

[David Freudenburg · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not so great.

[Rob McMonigal · Rating 4 out of 5]

While listening to this, I was reminded that Cousin Balky is now a frequent reader of audiobooks. He's a lot of fun at it, too. A big part of why this is 4 stars instead of 3, because unfortunately, a lot of these tales range from "slightly obnoxious views about women" to "Dear Lord, why is this author (looking at you DH Lawrence) ever, EVER read again?"

Highlights were the usual suspects (Twain, Poe, Wharton, Doyle, Melville, and O Henry). I was surprised at Meville's comedy, delighted by Doyle's homage to Poe in a tale of delicious revenge, and Wharton's just so criminally underrated to my eyes.

It's a very well curated collection ranging from the better Victorian-era writers to the early modernists, but a few of these might make you want to stuff your ears with cotton, no matter how well the narrators do with them.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like GCS I and II, I enjoyed III. The short story is unique in not having to be perfect but just present an interesting idea or question. Plotlines and characters roll around in one's head after reading the story, only to pop out at odd times. I wonder if the writer meant this or that? What happened after the story ended? are frequent questions after reading (or, in this case, hearing) a story.

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

These stories may be classics in some minds, but not for mine. The only stories I enjoyed were "The New Catacomb" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, "A Painful Case" by James Joyce, "The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant and "The Voice of the City" by O. Henry.

[Chrystal · Rating 2 out of 5]

22 stories by great writers, but in my opinion few if any of them leant themselves very well to audiobook format. Pretty boring overall. The ones that stood out as better than average were "My Watch" by Mark Twain and "Monkey Nuts" by DH Lawrence.

Maybe 2.5 stars.

[Crystal Swafford · Rating 2 out of 5]

This compilation is not great; the only good stories are by F. Scott Fitzgerald and Edgar Allan Poe. Otherwise, this work helped me to discover that I don’t care for short stories.

[Ksorb · Rating 4 out of 5]

The stories in this collection were interesting, sometimes charming, but not exciting. They were the perfect stories to listen to during a busy time.

[Austin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, I finished it. That's something anyway. It was close at times. Short is good. I reviewed the index of stories in this collection and found that within a week of hearing these stories, I can only remember half of them with any clarity. I expect that to deteriorate by nearly 90 percent eventually, which basically means these stories are preeminently forgettable. No offense to the authors, some of whom I admire and enjoy. But I remember "The Necklace," "Dalrymple Goes Wrong" (mostly because it portrays politics as a refuge for criminals, an idea I heartily endorse), and Tennessee's Partner. But basically, this was just a pleasant diversion for light reading between deeper reads.