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The Five-Forty-Eight
Here are twelve magnificent stories in which John Cheever celebrates -- with unequaled grace and tenderness -- the deepest feelings we have.
As Cheever writes in his preface, 'These stories seem at times to be stories of a long-lost world when the city of New York was still filled with a river light, when you heard the Benny Goodman quartets from a radio in the corner stationery store, and when almost everybody wore a hat.'
John Cheever was born in Quincy, Massachusetts, in 1912. He is the author of seven collections of stories and five novels. His first novel, The Wapshot Chronicle, won the 1958 National Book Award. In 1965 he received the Howells Medal for Fiction from the National Academy of Arts and Letters, and in 1978 The Stories of John Cheever won the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Pulitzer Prize. Shortly before his death, in 1982, he was awarded the National Medal for Literature from the Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters.
Benjamin Cheever is the author of The Plagiarist, The Parisian and Famous after Death.
The Enormous Radio read by Meryl Streep
The Five-Forty-Eight read by Edward Herrmann
O City of Broken Dreams read by Blythe Danner
Christmas is a Sad Season for the Poor read by George Plimpton
The Season of Divorce read by Edward Herrmann
The Brigadier and the Golf Widow read by Peter Gallagher
The Sorrows of Gin read by Meryl Streep
O Youth and Beauty! read by Peter Gallagher
The Chaste Clarissa read by Blythe Danner
The Jewels of the Cabots read by George Plimpton
The Death of Justina read by John Cheever
The Swimmer read by John Cheever
As Cheever writes in his preface, 'These stories seem at times to be stories of a long-lost world when the city of New York was still filled with a river light, when you heard the Benny Goodman quartets from a radio in the corner stationery store, and when almost everybody wore a hat.'
John Cheever was born in Quincy, Massachusetts, in 1912. He is the author of seven collections of stories and five novels. His first novel, The Wapshot Chronicle, won the 1958 National Book Award. In 1965 he received the Howells Medal for Fiction from the National Academy of Arts and Letters, and in 1978 The Stories of John Cheever won the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Pulitzer Prize. Shortly before his death, in 1982, he was awarded the National Medal for Literature from the Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters.
Benjamin Cheever is the author of The Plagiarist, The Parisian and Famous after Death.
The Enormous Radio read by Meryl Streep
The Five-Forty-Eight read by Edward Herrmann
O City of Broken Dreams read by Blythe Danner
Christmas is a Sad Season for the Poor read by George Plimpton
The Season of Divorce read by Edward Herrmann
The Brigadier and the Golf Widow read by Peter Gallagher
The Sorrows of Gin read by Meryl Streep
O Youth and Beauty! read by Peter Gallagher
The Chaste Clarissa read by Blythe Danner
The Jewels of the Cabots read by George Plimpton
The Death of Justina read by John Cheever
The Swimmer read by John Cheever
Audio
First published April 10, 1954
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85 people want to read
About the author
John Cheever
297 books1,072 followersJohn Cheever was an American novelist and short story writer, sometimes called "the Chekhov of the suburbs" or "the Ovid of Ossining." His fiction is mostly set in the Upper East Side of Manhattan, the suburbs of Westchester, New York, and old New England villages based on various South Shore towns around Quincy, Massachusetts, where he was born.
His main themes include the duality of human nature: sometimes dramatized as the disparity between a character's decorous social persona and inner corruption, and sometimes as a conflict between two characters (often brothers) who embody the salient aspects of both--light and dark, flesh and spirit. Many of his works also express a nostalgia for a vanishing way of life, characterized by abiding cultural traditions and a profound sense of community, as opposed to the alienating nomadism of modern suburbia.
His main themes include the duality of human nature: sometimes dramatized as the disparity between a character's decorous social persona and inner corruption, and sometimes as a conflict between two characters (often brothers) who embody the salient aspects of both--light and dark, flesh and spirit. Many of his works also express a nostalgia for a vanishing way of life, characterized by abiding cultural traditions and a profound sense of community, as opposed to the alienating nomadism of modern suburbia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
March 25, 2025
"The Five-Forty-Eight" is one of my favorite Cheever stories--a dark tale where Blake discards a mentally disturbed woman after a night of casual sex. When he leaves work several weeks later, she follows him through the streets of New York City to the 5:48 commuter train.
Readers will feel like they are walking with Blake since Cheever uses many instances of sensory language such as the rain falling in his face and the sweet smell of bakery goods as he tries to avoid his stalker. Blake's cruel personality is revealed in his thoughts as he encounters various people. There's a lot of psychological tension because we don't know how dangerous the woman might be.
"The Five-Forty-Eight," published in 1954, is story #20 in "The Stories of John Cheever."
Readers will feel like they are walking with Blake since Cheever uses many instances of sensory language such as the rain falling in his face and the sweet smell of bakery goods as he tries to avoid his stalker. Blake's cruel personality is revealed in his thoughts as he encounters various people. There's a lot of psychological tension because we don't know how dangerous the woman might be.
"The Five-Forty-Eight," published in 1954, is story #20 in "The Stories of John Cheever."
March 28, 2023
i just listened to the excellent audiobook version of this clever little short story by john cheever that slowly but surely escalates into unbearable tension.
cheever’s great skill is in how he lets stories creep up on you until it’s too late to look away — just like this one. once you realize what’s actually going on and why it’s happening, you’re like a naive little mouse that’s innocently wandered into cheevers little narrative trap, until… well…. let’s just say the ending of this short story is hella satisfying and inevitable.
for my money one of the best short storytellers of all time.
cheever’s great skill is in how he lets stories creep up on you until it’s too late to look away — just like this one. once you realize what’s actually going on and why it’s happening, you’re like a naive little mouse that’s innocently wandered into cheevers little narrative trap, until… well…. let’s just say the ending of this short story is hella satisfying and inevitable.
for my money one of the best short storytellers of all time.
March 26, 2025
Nice psychological study of a man who is about to pay the price for his blatant disregard of the feelings of women. This story made me think of Daphne du Maurier's Don't Look Now and the portrayal of the woman brought Glen Close to mind (if you've seen the movie, you know the reference). Of course, one could not feel sorry for the man...sometimes we do get what we deserve.
(#20 - Stories of John Cheever)
(#20 - Stories of John Cheever)
June 18, 2019
Uno de esos cuentos que impactan por como Cheever presenta a Blake, el personaje protagonista, un hombre ante todo despectivo hacia las mujeres, tanto con su esposa como con su secretaria, a la que usa y a continuación desprecia, y digo que desprecia en todos los sentidos. Blake es una especie de psicópata emocional que no siente remordimientos tras el uso y abuso, que usa su poder y luego se esconde tras esta sociedad aparentemente feliz y satisfecha. En fin, uno de sus mejores cuentos.
June 16, 2021
Blake, the main character in this, is a real bastard. He is a complete narcissist. He has no regard for anyone else and it is all about him, particularly with regard to women as sexual conquests. He seduces his secretary and gets her fired afterward. He doesn't care what happens to her. But she isn't going to let it drop that easily. I have no sympathy for him and the sad thing is I have met people like this.
February 11, 2018
“I have always had a gift for dreams.”
September 23, 2017
Nice and short story with vivid scenes and good buildup.
May 11, 2015
I have never read Cheever. I read recently that Cheever was a remarkable wordsmith and that Cheever's short stories are where his talent is best displayed. This is the first one I selected to investigate this for myself. It is well written and has a Chekhovian slice of flawed life aspect. Reminded me of The Lady with The Dog although the stories are not that similar.
Feeling rushed for time I almost typed that I had "read that Cheever's shorts are where his talent is best displayed." The irony of that was not lost on me but I decided I'd best be more fastidious and corrected the above sentence. With the legacy and lore of Cheever the jokes just write themselves.
Feeling rushed for time I almost typed that I had "read that Cheever's shorts are where his talent is best displayed." The irony of that was not lost on me but I decided I'd best be more fastidious and corrected the above sentence. With the legacy and lore of Cheever the jokes just write themselves.
January 10, 2023
Blake hate club
September 7, 2025
The Five Forty Eight by John Cheever
John Cheever is a great writer. The Five Forty Eight is a simple, short story that proves the talent of its author. Even if there is no dramatic event or story line, this story captures the imagination.
“When Blake stepped out of the elevator, he saw her” – these are the very first words of the story and we get introduced to the main and only characters: Blake and Miss Dent. Apparently, Miss Dent is the negative, evil one. Thinking about it though, brings into perspective the coldness, even meanness of Blake. As the superior of Miss Dent, he took advantage of her, used her as a sex object and then fired her, without any regrets. That could be one way to look at it.
On the other hand, miss dent is unstable, has some faults and to top it all takes Blake hostage. That would be seeing it from the opposite point of view. Like Aristotle said, the truth is in the middle.
“He was an insignificant man” …not only that, but he was insensitive, Miss Dent was weeping, after supposedly they had made love, and he didn’t care.
Miss Dent shows up on the “Five Forty Eight” train with a gun in her hand. This is pretty serious, but she only wants to talk to Blake. To avoid giving you information that could spoil it, I will stop here. I felt sad, more for miss Dent, than for Blake, even if at times she did go off her rails- life seems to have been rough on her and “all she wanted was a little love”…
This story is available at:
http://youngnycwriters.tumblr.com/pos...
John Cheever is a great writer. The Five Forty Eight is a simple, short story that proves the talent of its author. Even if there is no dramatic event or story line, this story captures the imagination.
“When Blake stepped out of the elevator, he saw her” – these are the very first words of the story and we get introduced to the main and only characters: Blake and Miss Dent. Apparently, Miss Dent is the negative, evil one. Thinking about it though, brings into perspective the coldness, even meanness of Blake. As the superior of Miss Dent, he took advantage of her, used her as a sex object and then fired her, without any regrets. That could be one way to look at it.
On the other hand, miss dent is unstable, has some faults and to top it all takes Blake hostage. That would be seeing it from the opposite point of view. Like Aristotle said, the truth is in the middle.
“He was an insignificant man” …not only that, but he was insensitive, Miss Dent was weeping, after supposedly they had made love, and he didn’t care.
Miss Dent shows up on the “Five Forty Eight” train with a gun in her hand. This is pretty serious, but she only wants to talk to Blake. To avoid giving you information that could spoil it, I will stop here. I felt sad, more for miss Dent, than for Blake, even if at times she did go off her rails- life seems to have been rough on her and “all she wanted was a little love”…
This story is available at:
http://youngnycwriters.tumblr.com/pos...
December 9, 2021
Listened on The New Yorker Fiction Podcast. Very interesting story. Hard to rate. Loved the analysis by Mary Gaitskill. She really knows the story and gives you such good explanation on things I felt but didn’t know how to articulate while reading this.
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I just listened to a story by Don DeLillo and definitely prefer this one. This story has that psychotic aspec I live in stories. Both characters being extremely morally grey (especially the male character) and the fact that, at least on her part, they both have that darkness. One she can’t hide and one he doesn’t realise he can.
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I just listened to a story by Don DeLillo and definitely prefer this one. This story has that psychotic aspec I live in stories. Both characters being extremely morally grey (especially the male character) and the fact that, at least on her part, they both have that darkness. One she can’t hide and one he doesn’t realise he can.
February 7, 2024
had to read this today for creative writing class and why was it so good like-
Blake deserved to die but sparing his life is honestly worse to me like the unease he’s gonna feel from paranoia whenever he sees anyone who looks like her is gonna be crushing. Yes she said she was finished with her task and he said she changed her physical demeanor altogether but this may have taught Blake a lesson for the next time he feels like using someone for his own pleasure because Ms Dent may be unstable but Blake is just as bad with his high narcissistic tendencies
Blake deserved to die but sparing his life is honestly worse to me like the unease he’s gonna feel from paranoia whenever he sees anyone who looks like her is gonna be crushing. Yes she said she was finished with her task and he said she changed her physical demeanor altogether but this may have taught Blake a lesson for the next time he feels like using someone for his own pleasure because Ms Dent may be unstable but Blake is just as bad with his high narcissistic tendencies
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 22, 2021
Relato impactante y muy visual (las imágenes son tan vívidas que parece un guion cinematográfico) sobre un tipo despreciable (lo más flojo porque no tiene ni una cualidad que le redima, aunque es un gusto despreciarle por lo bien que está descrito) y una mujer muy joven en un mundo que no la ha tratado bien. Su relación sirve de desencadenante para que ella tome las riendas de su vida además de darle una lección al tipejo.
Escrito en 1954 perfectamente podría ser un relato del MeToo.
Escrito en 1954 perfectamente podría ser un relato del MeToo.
February 5, 2025
🖋️ An insane woman takes a man hostage. The ending was superb.
📺 1961 “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” television episode version. (Sir Alfred Hitchcock, British film producer, film director, actor, and writer.)
༺ ༅ ✬ ༅ ༻ ༺ ༅ ✬ ༅ ༻
📺 1961 “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” television episode version. (Sir Alfred Hitchcock, British film producer, film director, actor, and writer.)
༺ ༅ ✬ ༅ ༻ ༺ ༅ ✬ ༅ ༻
July 27, 2025
It was so great to discover a story by an author that was new to me, John Cheever. The sense of dread that permeates the last portion of this tale was intense! I really love how Cheever describes the area of New York City the characters are in, really felt like I was there. I look forward to checking out more work from this author.
March 9, 2018
It was tightly constructed and moved along, but I just didn't care about any of the characters. If it had been a novel I wouldn't have finished it, but since I could see the light at the end of the tunnel I read to the end. Final thought: Meh.
June 22, 2017
If I had read this it would be a three. I listened to Mary Gaitskill read and discuss this story. Her interpretation of the story made it more interesting.
December 13, 2018
Good build-up of tension and intrigue. Great details. Well written.
April 17, 2022
Not my favorite Cheever story, but I generally love his writing and it is pretty classic Cheever, so there is that.
Read
June 5, 2022Read the short story!
November 10, 2023
in the good column. big step up over that dreary mess i had to slog through yesterday. it's clean & tense & kept me wondering up to the end whether she would or wouldn't. good stuff.
February 2, 2025
Audibly gasped at the dear husband part !
February 9, 2025
Yet another fascinating tale from Cheever, about the violent lengths that an office relationship can go to.
June 23, 2025
I enjoyed how the main characters seemed to mirror each other in ways.
April 1, 2019
The Five-Forty-Eight is my favorite short story of all time. The writing is brilliant. The first person narrator quickly earns our contempt. The story setting in New York City in the 1950s is a wonderful period piece about work culture in high powered Manhattan and the ritual train commute to to the suburbs. There is a case to be made that this story may have in some way inspired the TV super series Mad Men.
March 21, 2017
Very Mad Men-esque, but I didn't much care for that show so....
October 29, 2021
John Cheever's "The Five-Forty-Five" is the most suspenseful story so far in the collection I am reading. It seems like this could have been a great Old Time Radio episode on Suspense, maybe it has been done on another program. A man starts to be at his best and as the story goes on he is taken down many steps.
Short story in short- Blake hires a secretary and finds out that he wish he did not.
"The only light came from the bathroom—the door was ajar—and in this half light the hideously scrawled letters again seemed entirely wrong for her, and as if they must be the handwriting of some other and very gross woman. The next day, he did what he felt was the only sensible thing. When she was out for lunch, he called personnel and asked them to fire her. Then he took the afternoon off."
"Then he heard her footsteps go away from him, over the rubble. He heard the clearer and more distant sound they made on the hard surface of the platform. He heard them diminish. He raised his head. He saw her climb the stairs of the wooden footbridge and cross it and go down to the other platform, where her figure in the dim light looked small, common, and harmless."
❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌spoiler alert❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌
I don't think Miss Dent is insane but had been extremely stressed. She should not have done it but at least she did not harm him, only emotionally, which he did to her was indeed not harmless.
Blake seems like a well to do businessman who hires a secretary who has just been ill but seems okay. After she invites him to her place, they have sex, he leaves and fires her the next day, without seeing her and refusing to she her again. On his way home he is being followed by the girl, he can not recall her name, and trying to shake her. He feels he is safe on the train home, he is married with kids and seems not too happy in his home life. Blake sees Miss Dent, he recalls her name has seated herself next to him, wanting to talk to him but saying nothing except telling him he can not escape she has a gun. Finally a letter he is told to read and any thoughts he can get away at his final stop is useless, seeing neighbors but nobody is paying any attention. Miss Dent sees his neighborhood as they walk and its poverty tells her she almost feels sorry for him. Then she tells him to go on his knees and put his face in the dirt which he does, she says she feels better and can wash her hands of him, then walks away. When Blake knows he is safe he walks home.
“The only light came from the bathroom—the door was ajar—and in this half light the hideously scrawled letters again seemed entirely wrong for her, and as if they must be the handwriting of some other and very gross woman. The next day, he did what he felt was the only sensible thing. When she was out for lunch, he called personnel and asked them to fire her. Then he took the afternoon off.”
“Then he heard her footsteps go away from him, over the rubble. He heard the clearer and more distant sound they made on the hard surface of the platform. He heard them diminish. He raised his head. He saw her climb the stairs of the wooden footbridge and cross it and go down to the other platform, where her figure in the dim light looked small, common, and harmless.“
Short story in short- Blake hires a secretary and finds out that he wish he did not.
"The only light came from the bathroom—the door was ajar—and in this half light the hideously scrawled letters again seemed entirely wrong for her, and as if they must be the handwriting of some other and very gross woman. The next day, he did what he felt was the only sensible thing. When she was out for lunch, he called personnel and asked them to fire her. Then he took the afternoon off."
"Then he heard her footsteps go away from him, over the rubble. He heard the clearer and more distant sound they made on the hard surface of the platform. He heard them diminish. He raised his head. He saw her climb the stairs of the wooden footbridge and cross it and go down to the other platform, where her figure in the dim light looked small, common, and harmless."
❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌spoiler alert❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌
I don't think Miss Dent is insane but had been extremely stressed. She should not have done it but at least she did not harm him, only emotionally, which he did to her was indeed not harmless.
Blake seems like a well to do businessman who hires a secretary who has just been ill but seems okay. After she invites him to her place, they have sex, he leaves and fires her the next day, without seeing her and refusing to she her again. On his way home he is being followed by the girl, he can not recall her name, and trying to shake her. He feels he is safe on the train home, he is married with kids and seems not too happy in his home life. Blake sees Miss Dent, he recalls her name has seated herself next to him, wanting to talk to him but saying nothing except telling him he can not escape she has a gun. Finally a letter he is told to read and any thoughts he can get away at his final stop is useless, seeing neighbors but nobody is paying any attention. Miss Dent sees his neighborhood as they walk and its poverty tells her she almost feels sorry for him. Then she tells him to go on his knees and put his face in the dirt which he does, she says she feels better and can wash her hands of him, then walks away. When Blake knows he is safe he walks home.
“The only light came from the bathroom—the door was ajar—and in this half light the hideously scrawled letters again seemed entirely wrong for her, and as if they must be the handwriting of some other and very gross woman. The next day, he did what he felt was the only sensible thing. When she was out for lunch, he called personnel and asked them to fire her. Then he took the afternoon off.”
“Then he heard her footsteps go away from him, over the rubble. He heard the clearer and more distant sound they made on the hard surface of the platform. He heard them diminish. He raised his head. He saw her climb the stairs of the wooden footbridge and cross it and go down to the other platform, where her figure in the dim light looked small, common, and harmless.“
August 23, 2025
The story takes place over the course of the ride home from New York, as a man is being stalked by a woman who scares him. He sees her in reflection and then realizes three things: he knows her, he had her fired after he was done using her a sex toy, and now she's following him.
Blake's failed attempts to lose the woman are intertwined with flashbacks of how they met, how he hired her, slept with her, fired her, and how she has been trying to talk to him ever since. Tonight though she looks more dangerous and he does everything he can to escape her, including missing his usual express train and being forced to take the five-forty-eight.
Blake is a predator. He freely admits to picking women with low self esteem. So he's shocked to have one now that will stalk him and threaten him with a pistol. He's supposed to be the one in power, not her — not any woman he wants to toy with.
https://pussreboots.com/blog/2025/com...
Privileged Uhoria Railroad 00CC00
Blake's failed attempts to lose the woman are intertwined with flashbacks of how they met, how he hired her, slept with her, fired her, and how she has been trying to talk to him ever since. Tonight though she looks more dangerous and he does everything he can to escape her, including missing his usual express train and being forced to take the five-forty-eight.
Blake is a predator. He freely admits to picking women with low self esteem. So he's shocked to have one now that will stalk him and threaten him with a pistol. He's supposed to be the one in power, not her — not any woman he wants to toy with.
https://pussreboots.com/blog/2025/com...
Privileged Uhoria Railroad 00CC00
December 14, 2016
“..бе написала тя с безумния си криволичещ почерк. Казват, че човешката любов води към божествената, но дали е вярно? Сънувам те всяка нощ. Обземат ме страшни желалия. Винаги съм имала дар за сънища. Във вторник сънувах вулкан, от който изригваше кръв. В болницата ми казаха, че искат да ме излекуват, но те искаха само да отнемат самоуважението ми. Караха ме да сънувам единствено как шия и плета кошници. Но аз защитих своя дар за сънища. Аз съм ясновидка. Мога да предскажа кога ще позвъни телефонът.”
November 14, 2012
A guy stuck in an unhappy marriage spends a night with his emotionally distraught secretary. Realizing his mistake in getting involved with a potentially unstable woman, he fires her the next day, not realizing she is significantly more unbalanced than most women. Six months later she begins to stalk him.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews