White Angel

by Michael Cunningham

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, School, Read For School

15 pages, Unknown Binding

About the author

Michael Cunningham is the author of the novels A Home at the End of the World, Flesh and Blood, The Hours (winner of the Pen/Faulkner Award & Pulitzer Prize), Specimen Days, and By Nightfall, as well as the non-fiction book, Land's End: A Walk in Provincetown. His new novel, The Snow Queen, will be published in May of 2014. He lives in New York, and teaches at Yale University.

Reviews

[Lea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this short story here: https://www.northernhighlands.org/cms...

Weirdly, none of the reviews mention that this short story is a subplot/part of Cunningham's novel "A Home at the End of the World". It was one of the parts I liked the best, though, so I didn't mind reading it again. Incredibly powerful short story on two brothers.

[Stephanie ~~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short story was found in "A Home At the End of the World."
Cunningham is one of the most sought after writing mentors and professors for good reason. Absolutely stellar. WOW! How on earth did I miss this?!

[Paul Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Devastating. Particularly powerful is the reading of this story by James Naughton on NPR's "Selected Shorts." Download it, it'll haunt you for years.

[Rebe · Rating 2 out of 5]

The other day, I dropped by the journalism and photography room at my high school. I had some fine art works to scan for the literary magazine, and the school photography teacher had the only scanner large enough. As I got to work, my teacher asked me how I'd liked the copy of Tin House magazine he'd let me borrow. I told him how much I'd liked the first short story in the book, "Ryan Shiffrin." My teacher had liked it, too, and as we talked, he brought up this story, "White Angel." As soon as he thought of it, he decided I absolutely had to read it. It had blown him away when he'd read it in college, and he hoped I'd be similarly moved. So he printed out a copy for me, and I took it home and read it. I did like it, but I wouldn't read it twice. I just couldn't relate to the characters--a 9 year old boy and his druggie teen brother. I will say, though, that the scene where the boy hears his father playing music in the basement below and lies down on the floor and starts playing his harmonica really got to me, and the horrific end shocked me and left me thinking--all signs of good writing. Still, I don't understand the point or theme of the story, and it didn't speak to me personally.

[Joshua Allcorn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this shorty story for a college english course, and enjoyed it. I identified with Bobby's character in many ways. The characters are fleshed out really well. I'm told a movie has been made including this story, but I haven't yet seen it.

[Pritha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a short story, but it deserves a shout-out. I loved this story. The ending is absurdly good and heartbreaking. It makes you feel the deepest sense of satisfaction that all good fiction should.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a short story published in 1988 in the New Yorker. It's about a boy who grows up admiring his big brother. It's very powerful, and has a sad, shocking ending.

[Jenna Giampaolo · Rating 4 out of 5]

sorry i know like i read this for my creative writing class but it was really good and i just had to put it on here to remember. this was such a good story, the foreshadowing was amazing and the ending was so wtf?? like i was shocked.

[Colin Borden · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another book read for school. This one was okay. I didn’t really know where it was going. I love the ending as well as certain scenes, but for the most part I was bored.

[Rikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful. I loved this story. Cunningham captivated me, took me on a ride that was at once nostalgic and foreign. The Atwood-lover in me was thrilled by his liberal use of symbolism, and his rich illustrations were a joy. He aptly captured the limited and rosy lens of a little boy in absolute love with his older brother and managed to deftly tell the stories of those in his microsystem so that they became instantly recognizable in their own identity confusions, grief, and struggles with inertia. This story followed me for days, leading me to read it again and again. It'll stick with me for a long time.

[Eleanor · Rating 5 out of 5]

heard on selected shorts podcast

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my all-time favorites, and it's only better with each read.

[Josiah · Rating 5 out of 5]

without a doubt, this is the best short story i've ever read. one thing michael cunningham does really well is display the complexity of relationships--here shown between two brothers. The emotions cut to the bone--the ending particularly is devastating, and leaves you to sit there wondering what the hell just happened (in the very best way). can't thank my freshman writing professor enough for making us read this--i've now read it over 5 times and it remains my favorite short story.

[Kayley]

read for school

[isabella · Rating 2 out of 5]

read for school—not much to say really. i didn’t connect with any of the characters and i was a bit confused at times.

[Frankie Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

The writing was so vivid. I want to read more of this authors work, but wow what an impactful short story.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

First published as a short story, White Angel was later a chapter in Cunningham's novel A Home at the End of the World

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seemingly aimless but, profound
Even the bottom of the barrel Morrows can have such a significant brush with the other side

[Juliana · Rating 5 out of 5]

favorite short story of all time.

[Chris Mulhearn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hauntingly beautiful.

[Courtney Mosier Warren · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really powerful short story. I absolutely loved it.

[Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

read this for school. very well-written and thought-provoking. Was not expecting the ending

[Jessi Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good and sad and disturbing

[Leah Billings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ephemeral

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

The short story that stuck with me most over years and years.

[Lydia Penaluna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this for my creative writing class, and all I can say is this was so profound!

[Abby Madera · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would rather read the vegetarian than read this ever again

[Danny Albers · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story takes place in Ohio in the sixties. It explains the life of two boys, who are involved with the culture that Woodstock has brought to the younger generation. Even at a young age they experience drugs and "Southern Comfort." Tragedy strikes the family when the older brother dies and things begin to change as the future rolls on, being nothing like the younger brother expected.

[Curlysue]

I listened to this on Selected Shorts.

[Peranders Clason · Rating 5 out of 5]

short, great.