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The Unrest-Cure and Other Stories
The whimsical, macabre tales of British writer H. H. Munro—better known as Saki—deftly, mercilessly, and hilariously skewer the banality and hypocrisy of polite upper-class English society between the end of Queen Victoria’s reign and the beginning of World War I. Their heroes are clever, amoral children and other enfants terribles who marshal their considerable wit and imagination against the cruelty or fatuousness of a decorous and doomed world.
Here, Saki’s brilliantly polished dark gems comes paired with illustrations by the peerless Edward Gorey, available for the first time in an English language edition. The whose fragile elegance and creeping menace of Gorey’s pen-and-ink drawings perfectly complement Saki’s population of delicate ladies, mischief-making charges, spectral guests, sardonic house pets, flustered authority figures, and delightfully preposterous imposters.
Here, Saki’s brilliantly polished dark gems comes paired with illustrations by the peerless Edward Gorey, available for the first time in an English language edition. The whose fragile elegance and creeping menace of Gorey’s pen-and-ink drawings perfectly complement Saki’s population of delicate ladies, mischief-making charges, spectral guests, sardonic house pets, flustered authority figures, and delightfully preposterous imposters.
164 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
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About the author
Saki
1,672 books591 followersBritish writer Hector Hugh Munro under pen name Saki published his witty and sometimes bitter short stories in collections, such as
The Chronicles of Clovis
(1911).
His sometimes macabre satirized Edwardian society and culture. People consider him a master and often compare him to William Sydney Porter and Dorothy Rothschild Parker. His tales feature delicately drawn characters and finely judged narratives. "The Open Window," perhaps his most famous, closes with the line, "Romance at short notice was her specialty," which thus entered the lexicon. Newspapers first and then several volumes published him as the custom of the time.
His works include
* a full-length play, The Watched Pot , in collaboration with Charles Maude;
* two one-act plays;
* a historical study, The Rise of the Russian Empire , the only book under his own name;
* a short novel, The Unbearable Bassington ;
* the episodic The Westminster Alice , a parliamentary parody of Alice in Wonderland ;
* and When William Came: A Story of London under the Hohenzollerns , an early alternate history.
Oscar Wilde, Lewis Carroll, and Joseph Rudyard Kipling, influenced Munro, who in turn influenced A. A. Milne, and Pelham Grenville Wodehouse.
His sometimes macabre satirized Edwardian society and culture. People consider him a master and often compare him to William Sydney Porter and Dorothy Rothschild Parker. His tales feature delicately drawn characters and finely judged narratives. "The Open Window," perhaps his most famous, closes with the line, "Romance at short notice was her specialty," which thus entered the lexicon. Newspapers first and then several volumes published him as the custom of the time.
His works include
* a full-length play, The Watched Pot , in collaboration with Charles Maude;
* two one-act plays;
* a historical study, The Rise of the Russian Empire , the only book under his own name;
* a short novel, The Unbearable Bassington ;
* the episodic The Westminster Alice , a parliamentary parody of Alice in Wonderland ;
* and When William Came: A Story of London under the Hohenzollerns , an early alternate history.
Oscar Wilde, Lewis Carroll, and Joseph Rudyard Kipling, influenced Munro, who in turn influenced A. A. Milne, and Pelham Grenville Wodehouse.
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June 18, 2013
H.H. Munro, aka Saki
Hector Hugh Munro, who wrote under the pen-name Saki, was born in Akyab, Burma in 1870, the son of a military police officer. At the age of 24, Munro moved to London with the intention of becoming a writer -- and he soon made his name as a brilliant satirist of late Victorian and Edwardian societies. Perhaps his role as an outsider helped him to develop his satirical eye. He mercilessly -- and efficiently -- lampooned the British upper classes for their shallow concerns over social status, their adherence to outmoded forms of etiquette, and their focus on appearances rather than substance. A master of the short story, Saki wrote funny, sometimes macabre short pieces in which, often in as few as three or four pages, he struck at the heart of snobby social conventions. He also showed a predilection for pitting diabolical children against somewhat dim-witted adults, who were hopelessly outmatched.
In this reissued collection of some of Saki's finest short stories, NYRB offers an unbeatable combination: Saki's writings paired with Edward Gorey's illustrations. In the title story, "The Unrest-Cure," J.P. Huddle complains to a friend during a ride in a railway carriage of his descent into a "deep groove of elderly middle-age" in which he and his sister "like everything to be exactly in its accustomed place; we like things to happen exactly at their appointed times; we like everything to be usual, orderly, punctual, methodical, to a hair's breadth, to a minute." His friend suggests that perhaps Huddle would benefit from an unrest-cure, as he is "suffering from overmuch repose and placidity, and you need the opposite kind of treatment" from the traditional rest-cure. "The Unrest-Cure" is a fitting title for this collection, as these stories, short, bracing, devilish, and very, very funny, provide an excellent remedy for our own placid, boring, conventional moments.
Many thanks to NYRB for letting me read this ARC through Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
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March 11, 2017Anyone who pockets quotes - I pocket quotes - has run across the epigrammy H.H. Munro aka Saki. Here are two I'm able to dredge up from way back when:
In baiting a mouse trap with cheese, always leave room for the mouse.
and
A little inaccuracy sometimes saves tons of explanation.
Apparently there was a chapter of me thirty years ago that was moved enough by the pithiness of such things to have made a note of them.
But, it's not like I'm now a grown-up, so I read this book of Saki stories, on the theory that the bon mots had to come from somewhere. And this was chock-full of delights, like: after all, they charge so much for excess luggage on some of these foreign lines that it's really an economy to leave one's reputation behind one occasionally.
Saki certainly had a talent for skewering and a gift for playing with the English language, and I confess to being amused.
But I want to talk about the title story: The Un-Rest Cure.
Clovis, a recurring stinker of a character for Saki, is in a train berth with two others. The other two men are conversing, one complaining that even though his life is sedate he is nevertheless worn out by the ennui. His companion recommends the opposite of rest; instead: an un-rest cure.
Clovis overhears this and, stinker that he is, devises a fun game. He has observed the first man's name and address on his luggage. Clovis sends a telegram, in the name of the local bishop, to say that the bishop will be sending his confidential secretary to the man's home, in advance of the bishop's arrival. The 'secretary' is, of course, Clovis who pretends he has sequestered the bishop in a backroom and will personally forward his instructions. The bishop's 'instruction' - Clovis' gag - is: We are going to massacre every Jew in the neighborhood.
This prank plays itself out.
This story was first published in 1911. It has caused me more trouble in my mind than I expected from what I thought would be some mild diversionary interlude between more serious efforts.
1911. Hitler hasn't even started painting yet.
I ask: Would the insertion of any other nationality or religion have changed the 'joke'? Does a punchline numb, like an epigram? Was Saki trying to be more than funny? Why would nyrb-classics not only include this story but make it the title story? Why would nyrb-classics, in this instance, not have an explanatory 'Introduction'?
I raise these questions not to make myself appear more sensitive or more blameless. We, I, have all said and done really stupid things in the work in progress. But I can edit out what I can now. Here - a joke of a story about the massacre of Jews - is re-offered in, frankly, a lovely new edition, with wonderful period sketches from Edward Gorey.
It's all left me a bit off.
In baiting a mouse trap with cheese, always leave room for the mouse.
and
A little inaccuracy sometimes saves tons of explanation.
Apparently there was a chapter of me thirty years ago that was moved enough by the pithiness of such things to have made a note of them.
But, it's not like I'm now a grown-up, so I read this book of Saki stories, on the theory that the bon mots had to come from somewhere. And this was chock-full of delights, like: after all, they charge so much for excess luggage on some of these foreign lines that it's really an economy to leave one's reputation behind one occasionally.
Saki certainly had a talent for skewering and a gift for playing with the English language, and I confess to being amused.
But I want to talk about the title story: The Un-Rest Cure.
Clovis, a recurring stinker of a character for Saki, is in a train berth with two others. The other two men are conversing, one complaining that even though his life is sedate he is nevertheless worn out by the ennui. His companion recommends the opposite of rest; instead: an un-rest cure.
Clovis overhears this and, stinker that he is, devises a fun game. He has observed the first man's name and address on his luggage. Clovis sends a telegram, in the name of the local bishop, to say that the bishop will be sending his confidential secretary to the man's home, in advance of the bishop's arrival. The 'secretary' is, of course, Clovis who pretends he has sequestered the bishop in a backroom and will personally forward his instructions. The bishop's 'instruction' - Clovis' gag - is: We are going to massacre every Jew in the neighborhood.
This prank plays itself out.
This story was first published in 1911. It has caused me more trouble in my mind than I expected from what I thought would be some mild diversionary interlude between more serious efforts.
1911. Hitler hasn't even started painting yet.
I ask: Would the insertion of any other nationality or religion have changed the 'joke'? Does a punchline numb, like an epigram? Was Saki trying to be more than funny? Why would nyrb-classics not only include this story but make it the title story? Why would nyrb-classics, in this instance, not have an explanatory 'Introduction'?
I raise these questions not to make myself appear more sensitive or more blameless. We, I, have all said and done really stupid things in the work in progress. But I can edit out what I can now. Here - a joke of a story about the massacre of Jews - is re-offered in, frankly, a lovely new edition, with wonderful period sketches from Edward Gorey.
It's all left me a bit off.
December 6, 2013
This isn't the kind of writing I could read all the time, but it's such a great diversion, and for the same reason that I occasionally read Lemony Snicket or even Edward Gorey himself.
Saki's stories range from the chuckle-inducing to the hilarious horrifying, on to a couple that are bleakly dark and then back to those that elicit knowing smiles. I remember reading in school "The Open Window," most likely assigned to us because it's a ghost story being told by a very clever teenage girl.
The Gorey illustrations are the perfect accompaniment to the stories. During "The Penance," the tale of three avenging siblings, I could see the children in my mind before I turned the page on Gorey's rendition, and, of course, it was spot-on.
Saki's stories range from the chuckle-inducing to the hilarious horrifying, on to a couple that are bleakly dark and then back to those that elicit knowing smiles. I remember reading in school "The Open Window," most likely assigned to us because it's a ghost story being told by a very clever teenage girl.
The Gorey illustrations are the perfect accompaniment to the stories. During "The Penance," the tale of three avenging siblings, I could see the children in my mind before I turned the page on Gorey's rendition, and, of course, it was spot-on.
July 21, 2019
Think Noel Coward and P.G. Wodehouse - both were influenced by the marvelous short stories of Saki.
Think Oscar Wilde - Saki is his literary heir. Now start reading!
Think Oscar Wilde - Saki is his literary heir. Now start reading!
June 9, 2024
さばさば
May 14, 2013
Electronic ARC provided by NetGalley.
I had never heard of this author before seeing the book available for request on NetGalley. I was first drawn to the title by the Edward Gorey illustrations. The illustrations are fantastic (as expected) and fit the tone of the author wonderfully. This book is a collection of short stories written around the turn of the 20th century. The stories tend to be short, and are full of amusingly clever language. I would recommend these stories to anyone who enjoys 19th century humorists and the art of Edward Gorey.
I had never heard of this author before seeing the book available for request on NetGalley. I was first drawn to the title by the Edward Gorey illustrations. The illustrations are fantastic (as expected) and fit the tone of the author wonderfully. This book is a collection of short stories written around the turn of the 20th century. The stories tend to be short, and are full of amusingly clever language. I would recommend these stories to anyone who enjoys 19th century humorists and the art of Edward Gorey.
November 5, 2017
tales of saucy imps, dolorous aunts, and just desserts accompanied by Edward Gorey illustrations are extremely my thing
I'm definitely seeking out more Saki in the future
I'm definitely seeking out more Saki in the future
June 18, 2018
Delightfully macabre.
October 7, 2020
This book was absolutely hilarious! I genuinely mean laugh out loud funny. The wit and humor never stopped coming; it was one joke after another and each one was like a different slap in the face. Sprinkled in were also some great stories of irony with a few even bordering on sad and pensive. Although set in Edwardian England you don’t need much historical context in order to make sense of the stories making it a light fun read.
Saki’s voice also comes through so strongly. Although each story is different, some of them are intertwined with characters told by a 3rd person narrator who should basically be a character himself considering how he tells each story.
Saki’s voice also comes through so strongly. Although each story is different, some of them are intertwined with characters told by a 3rd person narrator who should basically be a character himself considering how he tells each story.
October 14, 2013
These twenty-six stories by H.H. Munro, who wrote under the pen-name of Saki, are selections from five volumes that were originally published between 1904 and 1919. They're all fairly funny, though I found the first few stories the weakest. In those early stories, like "Reginald at the Carlton" or "Reginald on Besetting Things," we're reading about a recognizable realistic world: Reginald dines out with a Duchess, and they gossip and opine and say clever things; Reginald tells a story about a woman who has the misfortune to fall into the habit of telling the truth, as opposed to the socially accepted white lies life is normally fully of. "Reginald's Drama," in which Reginald thinks about what kind of play he'd like to someday write, is funnier because it's got a bit more of the absurd: Reginald talks about how his play "would commence with wolves worrying something on a lonely waste—you wouldn't see them, of course; but you would hear them snarling and scrunching, and I should arrange to have a wolfy fragrance suggested across the footlights" (12). Things pick up even more with "The Strategist," which is the first of many stories in this book that center around young people behaving mischievously in various very funny ways. "The Strategist" is one of my favorite stories in the book; another is "Tobermory," which features a houseguest telling his hosts he's taught their pet cat to speak English—and the horrified reactions of everyone when it turns out to be true, and when they think of all the things in the household that the cat's been hitherto silently watching. Edward Gorey's illustrations are well-suited to the Edwardian high society setting of the stories, and to their sometimes dark humor: the combination of Gorey's art and Saki's writing makes this book particularly satisfying to read.
September 27, 2015
When I was a child in the Kingdom by the Sea, yes, that very same Kingdom, we stayed part of the summer at my grandfather's. Considering my grandfather's immense education, there were surprisingly few books. Actually, there were several bookshelves, but they were loaded with religion books. He was a theologian. And there was Saki. One volume. My father had raised me on Edgar Poe, thus Saki's vague creepiness was not totally to be snubbed. I remember reading the stories and promptly forgetting them. Later I would read the one about the boy and his ferret-God. I remember crying. Other than that, the only one that stood out in my memory was The Open Window. I believe it showed up on a lit crit test. I was unmoved.
I don't think I would have bought this volume if it hadn't been for the Gorey illustrations, and I was in NYC. I figured the stories were short enough for a subway ride of the medium length.
Oddly, I think I should have been more impressed by Saki at a younger age rather than older, but the converse is true. I quite enjoyed the stories. The earlier ones offer piquant, satiric
vignettes of upper-middle-lower aristocratic life in pre-WWI England. I found myself chuckling aloud at times. The later half has the stories that I had remembered, though only vaguely. However this time the mordant humor and laconic tone was not lost on me. Saki's strength lies in what he doesn't tell.
While he should not be confused with the truly great masters of the short story; Chekhov, Gogol, Mansfield, he isn't the just a bit better than a hack writer I set him down as in my youth. I don't think he has the depth of understanding, or doesn't display it, as those before mentioned writers, plus there is a lack of sympathy for the human condition that great literature requires.
Though falling somewhere between entertainments and great books, the stories are worthy of attention for their craft and humor.
I don't think I would have bought this volume if it hadn't been for the Gorey illustrations, and I was in NYC. I figured the stories were short enough for a subway ride of the medium length.
Oddly, I think I should have been more impressed by Saki at a younger age rather than older, but the converse is true. I quite enjoyed the stories. The earlier ones offer piquant, satiric
vignettes of upper-middle-lower aristocratic life in pre-WWI England. I found myself chuckling aloud at times. The later half has the stories that I had remembered, though only vaguely. However this time the mordant humor and laconic tone was not lost on me. Saki's strength lies in what he doesn't tell.
While he should not be confused with the truly great masters of the short story; Chekhov, Gogol, Mansfield, he isn't the just a bit better than a hack writer I set him down as in my youth. I don't think he has the depth of understanding, or doesn't display it, as those before mentioned writers, plus there is a lack of sympathy for the human condition that great literature requires.
Though falling somewhere between entertainments and great books, the stories are worthy of attention for their craft and humor.
August 19, 2020
So fluffy, the fluffiest. Perfectly enjoyable while reading, but the writing kind of went into my eyes and stopped short of my brain. I'll file this under the genre of delightfully foppish Brits grapple with delightfully unimportant problems. The son of an elderly dowager named Reginald appears in a few different stories, Clovis, indistinguishable from Reginald, shows up too. A few stories stick out--the one with the cat named Tobermory who has learned human speech, only to heckle the members of his master's dinner party with cunning remarks; the one with the three ill-behaved children who threaten to kill their gardener's daughter after he does away with their chicken-hunting cat. All in all, these stories were fairly forgettable though, and often ended really abruptly. The strangest thing is that Saki (a pseudonym) fought and died in World War I. You'd think some of the real stresses and issues facing the British would creep their way into his stories, but he just skated along writing about gently offensive dinner party guests and shocked matrons clutching their pearls. The best part about this book was the illustrations by Edward Gorey. I do love Edward Gorey, five stars to him.
July 5, 2015
When I was seven years old I recollect being given a peach at a garden-party by some Duchess or other; I can't remember a thing about her, except that I imagine our acquaintance must have been of the slightest, as she called me a 'nice little boy,' but I have unfading memories of that peach. It was one of those exuberant peaches that meet you halfway, so to speak, and are all over you in a moment. It was a beautiful unspoiled product of a hothouse, and yet it managed quite successfully to give itself the airs of a compote. You had to bite it and imbibe it at the same time. To me there has always been something charming and mystic in the though of that delicate velvet globe of fruit, slowly ripening and warming to perfection through the long summer days and perfumed nights, and then coming suddenly athwart my life in the supreme moment of its existence. I can never forget it, even if I wished to.
June 18, 2013
First I'll mention that I received an egalley for review purposes which did not include the illustrations so I can't comment on them, even though I do love Gorley so. I had thought I'd read Saki before but this collection proves me wrong as I was not familiar with his work at all. Written in the early 1900s, his stories are macabre little affairs reflecting upon his society and , in many, depicting children as clever but malicious villains. The others show an adult with a vice (greed, pompous, proud, etc.) who is beaten at their own game and we watch them get "egg on their face." All but one story here is a farce. Dry, British, tongue in cheek black humour is the fare offered up here. It did take me some time to get used to Saki's style while reading his works in this book but, but I came out appreciating his dark sense of humour and will be pleased to come across his name in future collections. An enjoyable read.
My review copy is missing the first five stories. I don't usually review incomplete review copies but I didn't know this at the time!
1. The Strategist - Rollo is invited to a party where he will be one of the boys with his mate Jack and the two Wrotsley boys, hoping the cousin won't tag along. Which would make them 2 against 3. There will be girls as well. As he arrives he hears Jack's sister say she's sorry her brother couldn't make it and the Wrotsley cousin is being introduced. Now it's 1 against 3. What follows is a very strange party where the boys retire to the library to think of a word the girls must guess and while they are in the library Rollo is beaten. He spends his time at the party thinking of ways to avoid going into the library. Weird ... to say the least. (2/5)
2. Tobermory - A guest at a dinner party, where the guests have stayed several days, announces that his life's work has finally come to fruition; that of teaching animals human speech. He has taught the household cat, Tobermory, to speak fluent English. The cat, upon presentation begins to dazzle the assembled by having a rather stuck-up attitude and is full of intimate details about all of the present. Little did one realise just how much access a cat has to one's private life. Upon embarrassing and telling dirty little secrets about all gathered the cat leaves and the party plans the murder of the now not-so-dear family pet. Very tongue in cheek and funny. (5/5)
3. Mrs. Packletide's Tiger - This one is short compared to the first two and has Mrs. Packletide setting up a tiger hunt in India because she is jealous of the attention another local woman is getting and bagging a tiger should outdo her recent feat. She gets her tiger but not exactly as she'd planned and shortshrifted in the end. Another tongue in cheek farce. A little giggle at the end. (4/5)
4. The Stampeding of Lady Bastable - The last two stories have contained basically one sentence to make us aware that someone named "Clovis" was present in the room or at the events. This has proved puzzling to me, however this story is about Clovis! He is a mischievous 17-year old who in this story has his mother tries to pack off with Lady Bastable while she goes away for six days. Clovis is not happy with this arrangement so he plays a prank on Lady B. based on her greatest fear. Very short but one can envision the farce in action. Humorous! (4/5)
5. The Unrest-Cure - A great story to name the collection with as it's a fine example of Saki's humorous farce. This was hilarious if somewhat politically incorrect to some tastes. Clovis overhears a minister talking on a train about being in a rut while his companion suggests he needs to get busy with an "un" rest cure. Clovis having learnt much about the minister from this eavesdropping plays a prank on the man by sending a telegram then arriving at his home. He's concocted a story where the Bishop will be coming to stay the night, sending the household in an uproar. The Bishop then mysteriously arrives, locks himself in the library and through Clovis, the Bishop's supposed secretary, imparts the news that he has decided to slaughter the Jews, of which this town happens to have 26. Absolute hysterics ensue as the minister and his wife think the Bishop mad and that bloodshed is imminent in their home. (5/5)
6. Sredni Vashtar - Clovis is not in this story. This story is a dark one compared to the others most certainly. Here we have Conradin a sickly young orphan being looked after by an elderly, to him anyway, aunt. The aunt is miserly, cross and not fond of children, making Conradin's life miserable. He has made a place for himself at the bottom of the grounds in a shed where he has two pets; one he loves the most of anything in the world, a Houdan hen, the other a creature that frightens him but that also awes him, a polecat ferret whom he's named Sredni Vashtar, keeps locked up in a cage in a wardrobe and treats as a sort of god in his little world. When the Woman decides he spends too much time in the shed and gets rid of the hen, Conradin internalizes his emotions and seeks an end to his misery with the Woman. A dark, tense story with the child an equal villain to the Woman. Kept me quite intrigued as I guessed but wasn't sure if it would end the way I thought it might. A first look at Saki's darker side rather than black humour of the previous stories. (5/5)
7. Adrian: A Chapter in Acclimatization - A farce. Lucas meets up with his Aunt Susan who inquires whom the lovely lad he was with the other day is. Lucas arranges for his aunt to meet Adrian upon which she then takes it on herself to look after him and "show him a bit of the world". Lucas advises her not to but she will do as she wants. From this point on Lucas receives letters from Clovis who happens to be in the party, now in Switzerland, and the dreadful shenanigans that Adrian has been up to until finally the aunt can't stand it any more. Very funny. After reading the story though I started to think that based on what we know about Clovis, perhaps we are to believe that Clovis has framed Adrian. Pondering this ... (4/5)
8. The Quest - Baby Momesby is lost. Missing that is, and his mother is frantic in searching for him. She happens upon Clovis in the garden who presents the theory that an escaped circus animal has eaten the poor tot. Later a visiting neighbour, a Christian Scientist, says the child has only disappeared until they have enough faith that he has not disappeared. The three discuss the matter in circles with the mother becoming more anxious. Saki's usual farcical humour continues until not one but two toddlers have been secured from danger. Cute, but not as fun as some of the others so far (3/5)
9. The Peace Offering - The Baroness asks Clovis's help in putting on an entertainment to help the county get over bitter feelings surrounding an upcoming election. Clovis suggests a play and in the end decides upon the Greek Tragedy "The Return of Agamemnon". Most of the story then falls into a study of witticisms as the two try to outdo each other as they both want centre stage. Then on opening night, with a magnificent turn out from the entire country, the Baroness makes a political mistake. A study of irony. (3/5)
10. The Talking-Out of Tarrington - A man named Tarrington walks towards Clovis and his aunt. The aunt wants nothing to do with him, recognizing him and knowing he will try to invite himself to a luncheon she is holding in the near future. Clovis gives her leave that he will get rid of said interloper. So the aunt skedaddles away advising Clovis pretend he doesn't know the man. What then transpires is a farcical conversation between the two, in which the man eventual wanders off thinking it best not to want to attend any luncheon that Clovis would be attending and Clovis thinking what a good parliamentarian he would make. LOL. Witty. (3/5)
11. The Hounds of Fate - A down on his luck man who has never amounted to anything because of his own inclinations is wandering in the woods in the rain and finds refuge in a cottage. The people there mistake him for their master Tom who left 4 yeas ago. The reluctantly decides the hounds of fate have lead him here and he takes on the persona, even after he learns that none of his neighbours or friends has any remaining like for the recently returned master. His choices once again prove to lead him where the hounds of fate will. A predictable but straightforward tragedy. (3/5)
12. The Boar-Pig - A woman and her daughter have not been invited to the lawn party of the season so they sneak in through the back way unobserved. However, they are noticed by 13yo Matilda who decides to teach them a lesson by letting loose the boar who has been boarded up for the event. The two women come across it in fear and thus commences a conversation of wits between the women and conniving Matilda as to whether she will help them get free of the boar. Cute ending (3/5)
Am wondering at this point whether the devilish, conniving, rather heartless youths portrayed in these stories is a reflection of Saki's own opinion on children or his literary reflection on his society's (Edwardian) general attitude toward children.
13. The Open Window - Another story of a maliciously mischievous child. This time a young lady tells an ailing young man a tale which frightens the daylights out of him. Very cleverly told with darkly humorous ending. One of my favourites so far. (5/5)
14. The Cobweb - I don't get the significance of the title for this one. A young couple moves into the family heritage farm. The wife feels uncomfortable as she has plans to spruce it up an modernize the running of it but the octogenarian ward of the kitchen who came with the house is not about to give up her lifetime rule. The old lady starts predicting death and the wife can't help but be relieved when her demise will finally come; only it doesn't quite work out that way. A gloomy, morbid tale well told. (4/5)
15. Fur - This time around we have two young ladies plotting to get a good birthday present out of a rich relative but when the birthday girl upsets her friend, the tables are turned and the plot turns upon herself. A variation on the theme here and we just have an amusing story rather than any malice, as the birthday girl did act in a way as to deserve the mutiny from her friend. (4/5)
16. The Guests - Two ladies in a small village are talking. The one who has always lived there complains how nothing happens. The other who has lived in places where things happen says she likes the quiet. Then she relates one such story where, presumably in India, a Bishop, whom she was scarcely on speaking terms with, came to visit, they had a flood, and an extra guest. A farcical romp. The usual. (3/5)
17. The Penance - Back to the deviltry children are capable of only this time they provoke the guilty conscience of a man who has done them wrong and they exact penance from him with their menace. Engaging. I've become fond of these rather droll but macabre endings. (4/5)
18. Bertie's Christmas Eve - 13yo Bertie's parents will be packing him off to Rhodesia soon. For now it's Christmas Eve and a house party is underway. One of the guests suggests that in Russia they believe that at the midnight hour they believe the barnyard animals can talk so they troop out to they stone barn where they have a few cows and sheep. Bertie doesn't bother to go but as the hour strikes the adults hear the door closing and the key locking. Bertie has locked them in for the night. The usual sort of farce but I didn't really find this one funny. (3/5)
19. Quail Seed - Very different from the others.. This is a light-hearted comedy of a local-shop owner who is lamenting the decline of business now that customers prefer shopping at "larger concerns". Then he has a brain storm on how he can attract more business with an idea that will bring in both men and women. Thus, he pulls off a stunt that tricks the whole village. I guessed the ending but this was delightfully fun and great to see another side of Saki's writing. (5/5)
20. Mark - An author is visited by an unrelenting encyclopedia salesman and he uses reverse psychology to get the intruder to leave. Amusing but not up to par with some others. (3/5)
21. Fate - Clovis is back but as a bystander, not a major player. He's older now, he and a friend, 24 yo, are guests at a house party. The friend is poor and makes his money by placing small but sure bets on the weekends. This time he's decided to risk it all and bets more than he has on a billiards game. Needless to say the game is not turning out in his favour and he ends up having to take fate into his own hands. Another ok farce. (3/5)
22. The Seven Cream Jugs - The Pigeoncoates hear that young Wilfrid (the snatcher) has inherited vast estates and sums from that side of the family. Having not seen him since a wee lad, now their silver wedding anniversary, they receive note that William is coming to visit. How will they hide all the silver? Turns out the eldest son on that side is always called Wilfrid and there are a host of them. A case of mistaken identity causes a backfire that the Pigeoncoates reputation must suffer furthermore. Cute with unexpected ending. (4/5)
My review copy is missing the first five stories. I don't usually review incomplete review copies but I didn't know this at the time!
1. The Strategist - Rollo is invited to a party where he will be one of the boys with his mate Jack and the two Wrotsley boys, hoping the cousin won't tag along. Which would make them 2 against 3. There will be girls as well. As he arrives he hears Jack's sister say she's sorry her brother couldn't make it and the Wrotsley cousin is being introduced. Now it's 1 against 3. What follows is a very strange party where the boys retire to the library to think of a word the girls must guess and while they are in the library Rollo is beaten. He spends his time at the party thinking of ways to avoid going into the library. Weird ... to say the least. (2/5)
2. Tobermory - A guest at a dinner party, where the guests have stayed several days, announces that his life's work has finally come to fruition; that of teaching animals human speech. He has taught the household cat, Tobermory, to speak fluent English. The cat, upon presentation begins to dazzle the assembled by having a rather stuck-up attitude and is full of intimate details about all of the present. Little did one realise just how much access a cat has to one's private life. Upon embarrassing and telling dirty little secrets about all gathered the cat leaves and the party plans the murder of the now not-so-dear family pet. Very tongue in cheek and funny. (5/5)
3. Mrs. Packletide's Tiger - This one is short compared to the first two and has Mrs. Packletide setting up a tiger hunt in India because she is jealous of the attention another local woman is getting and bagging a tiger should outdo her recent feat. She gets her tiger but not exactly as she'd planned and shortshrifted in the end. Another tongue in cheek farce. A little giggle at the end. (4/5)
4. The Stampeding of Lady Bastable - The last two stories have contained basically one sentence to make us aware that someone named "Clovis" was present in the room or at the events. This has proved puzzling to me, however this story is about Clovis! He is a mischievous 17-year old who in this story has his mother tries to pack off with Lady Bastable while she goes away for six days. Clovis is not happy with this arrangement so he plays a prank on Lady B. based on her greatest fear. Very short but one can envision the farce in action. Humorous! (4/5)
5. The Unrest-Cure - A great story to name the collection with as it's a fine example of Saki's humorous farce. This was hilarious if somewhat politically incorrect to some tastes. Clovis overhears a minister talking on a train about being in a rut while his companion suggests he needs to get busy with an "un" rest cure. Clovis having learnt much about the minister from this eavesdropping plays a prank on the man by sending a telegram then arriving at his home. He's concocted a story where the Bishop will be coming to stay the night, sending the household in an uproar. The Bishop then mysteriously arrives, locks himself in the library and through Clovis, the Bishop's supposed secretary, imparts the news that he has decided to slaughter the Jews, of which this town happens to have 26. Absolute hysterics ensue as the minister and his wife think the Bishop mad and that bloodshed is imminent in their home. (5/5)
6. Sredni Vashtar - Clovis is not in this story. This story is a dark one compared to the others most certainly. Here we have Conradin a sickly young orphan being looked after by an elderly, to him anyway, aunt. The aunt is miserly, cross and not fond of children, making Conradin's life miserable. He has made a place for himself at the bottom of the grounds in a shed where he has two pets; one he loves the most of anything in the world, a Houdan hen, the other a creature that frightens him but that also awes him, a polecat ferret whom he's named Sredni Vashtar, keeps locked up in a cage in a wardrobe and treats as a sort of god in his little world. When the Woman decides he spends too much time in the shed and gets rid of the hen, Conradin internalizes his emotions and seeks an end to his misery with the Woman. A dark, tense story with the child an equal villain to the Woman. Kept me quite intrigued as I guessed but wasn't sure if it would end the way I thought it might. A first look at Saki's darker side rather than black humour of the previous stories. (5/5)
7. Adrian: A Chapter in Acclimatization - A farce. Lucas meets up with his Aunt Susan who inquires whom the lovely lad he was with the other day is. Lucas arranges for his aunt to meet Adrian upon which she then takes it on herself to look after him and "show him a bit of the world". Lucas advises her not to but she will do as she wants. From this point on Lucas receives letters from Clovis who happens to be in the party, now in Switzerland, and the dreadful shenanigans that Adrian has been up to until finally the aunt can't stand it any more. Very funny. After reading the story though I started to think that based on what we know about Clovis, perhaps we are to believe that Clovis has framed Adrian. Pondering this ... (4/5)
8. The Quest - Baby Momesby is lost. Missing that is, and his mother is frantic in searching for him. She happens upon Clovis in the garden who presents the theory that an escaped circus animal has eaten the poor tot. Later a visiting neighbour, a Christian Scientist, says the child has only disappeared until they have enough faith that he has not disappeared. The three discuss the matter in circles with the mother becoming more anxious. Saki's usual farcical humour continues until not one but two toddlers have been secured from danger. Cute, but not as fun as some of the others so far (3/5)
9. The Peace Offering - The Baroness asks Clovis's help in putting on an entertainment to help the county get over bitter feelings surrounding an upcoming election. Clovis suggests a play and in the end decides upon the Greek Tragedy "The Return of Agamemnon". Most of the story then falls into a study of witticisms as the two try to outdo each other as they both want centre stage. Then on opening night, with a magnificent turn out from the entire country, the Baroness makes a political mistake. A study of irony. (3/5)
10. The Talking-Out of Tarrington - A man named Tarrington walks towards Clovis and his aunt. The aunt wants nothing to do with him, recognizing him and knowing he will try to invite himself to a luncheon she is holding in the near future. Clovis gives her leave that he will get rid of said interloper. So the aunt skedaddles away advising Clovis pretend he doesn't know the man. What then transpires is a farcical conversation between the two, in which the man eventual wanders off thinking it best not to want to attend any luncheon that Clovis would be attending and Clovis thinking what a good parliamentarian he would make. LOL. Witty. (3/5)
11. The Hounds of Fate - A down on his luck man who has never amounted to anything because of his own inclinations is wandering in the woods in the rain and finds refuge in a cottage. The people there mistake him for their master Tom who left 4 yeas ago. The reluctantly decides the hounds of fate have lead him here and he takes on the persona, even after he learns that none of his neighbours or friends has any remaining like for the recently returned master. His choices once again prove to lead him where the hounds of fate will. A predictable but straightforward tragedy. (3/5)
12. The Boar-Pig - A woman and her daughter have not been invited to the lawn party of the season so they sneak in through the back way unobserved. However, they are noticed by 13yo Matilda who decides to teach them a lesson by letting loose the boar who has been boarded up for the event. The two women come across it in fear and thus commences a conversation of wits between the women and conniving Matilda as to whether she will help them get free of the boar. Cute ending (3/5)
Am wondering at this point whether the devilish, conniving, rather heartless youths portrayed in these stories is a reflection of Saki's own opinion on children or his literary reflection on his society's (Edwardian) general attitude toward children.
13. The Open Window - Another story of a maliciously mischievous child. This time a young lady tells an ailing young man a tale which frightens the daylights out of him. Very cleverly told with darkly humorous ending. One of my favourites so far. (5/5)
14. The Cobweb - I don't get the significance of the title for this one. A young couple moves into the family heritage farm. The wife feels uncomfortable as she has plans to spruce it up an modernize the running of it but the octogenarian ward of the kitchen who came with the house is not about to give up her lifetime rule. The old lady starts predicting death and the wife can't help but be relieved when her demise will finally come; only it doesn't quite work out that way. A gloomy, morbid tale well told. (4/5)
15. Fur - This time around we have two young ladies plotting to get a good birthday present out of a rich relative but when the birthday girl upsets her friend, the tables are turned and the plot turns upon herself. A variation on the theme here and we just have an amusing story rather than any malice, as the birthday girl did act in a way as to deserve the mutiny from her friend. (4/5)
16. The Guests - Two ladies in a small village are talking. The one who has always lived there complains how nothing happens. The other who has lived in places where things happen says she likes the quiet. Then she relates one such story where, presumably in India, a Bishop, whom she was scarcely on speaking terms with, came to visit, they had a flood, and an extra guest. A farcical romp. The usual. (3/5)
17. The Penance - Back to the deviltry children are capable of only this time they provoke the guilty conscience of a man who has done them wrong and they exact penance from him with their menace. Engaging. I've become fond of these rather droll but macabre endings. (4/5)
18. Bertie's Christmas Eve - 13yo Bertie's parents will be packing him off to Rhodesia soon. For now it's Christmas Eve and a house party is underway. One of the guests suggests that in Russia they believe that at the midnight hour they believe the barnyard animals can talk so they troop out to they stone barn where they have a few cows and sheep. Bertie doesn't bother to go but as the hour strikes the adults hear the door closing and the key locking. Bertie has locked them in for the night. The usual sort of farce but I didn't really find this one funny. (3/5)
19. Quail Seed - Very different from the others.. This is a light-hearted comedy of a local-shop owner who is lamenting the decline of business now that customers prefer shopping at "larger concerns". Then he has a brain storm on how he can attract more business with an idea that will bring in both men and women. Thus, he pulls off a stunt that tricks the whole village. I guessed the ending but this was delightfully fun and great to see another side of Saki's writing. (5/5)
20. Mark - An author is visited by an unrelenting encyclopedia salesman and he uses reverse psychology to get the intruder to leave. Amusing but not up to par with some others. (3/5)
21. Fate - Clovis is back but as a bystander, not a major player. He's older now, he and a friend, 24 yo, are guests at a house party. The friend is poor and makes his money by placing small but sure bets on the weekends. This time he's decided to risk it all and bets more than he has on a billiards game. Needless to say the game is not turning out in his favour and he ends up having to take fate into his own hands. Another ok farce. (3/5)
22. The Seven Cream Jugs - The Pigeoncoates hear that young Wilfrid (the snatcher) has inherited vast estates and sums from that side of the family. Having not seen him since a wee lad, now their silver wedding anniversary, they receive note that William is coming to visit. How will they hide all the silver? Turns out the eldest son on that side is always called Wilfrid and there are a host of them. A case of mistaken identity causes a backfire that the Pigeoncoates reputation must suffer furthermore. Cute with unexpected ending. (4/5)
August 12, 2018
Well this was an experience!
I picked up this volume for two reasons: one, I am an Edward Gorey superfan, and two, I am also a fan of Saki's short story "The Interlopers." Edward Gorey's illustrations are perfect for this volume, and he was the ideal choice--perhaps the only appropriate choice?--to illustrate this collection. I was expecting the short stories to be in the vein of "The Interlopers," but to my surprise, Saki's style is much more like P.G. Wodehouse (whom he influenced tremendously) than Guy de Maupassant. Saki does maintain a dark undertone, though--much like Edward Gorey, but more brutal--and that's what really made this collection an experience.
Some things can date a work of fiction. Maybe it's social attitudes, or the fashions depicted, or obsolete geography. In this case, it's the fact that a joke that would have been in bad taste prior to the First World War (when this was written), became utterly ghastly in the aftermath of World War II. Saki died in WWII and can't possibly have known that his deliberately-outrageous gag in the title story of The Unrest-Cure would become the least funny thing in the world. If you haven't figured it out: the title story includes a long-form Holocaust "joke" and no, I can't believe a guy who DIED thirty years before the Holocaust started did this, either.
There are some other issues, too. There are two cat-murders (and one attempted murder), and some children that are more disturbing than any created by Edward Gorey AND the Children of the Corn. So out of this collection, there are at least three stories I would prefer to have never read.
That said, there are some excellent stories in here, too, that I'm sure I will read again. That's why this isn't one star.
And I mentioned that the illustrations are very good, right? Because they are.
tl;dr Some excellent stories, but also cat-murders and a holocaust "joke." Readers strongly cautioned.
I picked up this volume for two reasons: one, I am an Edward Gorey superfan, and two, I am also a fan of Saki's short story "The Interlopers." Edward Gorey's illustrations are perfect for this volume, and he was the ideal choice--perhaps the only appropriate choice?--to illustrate this collection. I was expecting the short stories to be in the vein of "The Interlopers," but to my surprise, Saki's style is much more like P.G. Wodehouse (whom he influenced tremendously) than Guy de Maupassant. Saki does maintain a dark undertone, though--much like Edward Gorey, but more brutal--and that's what really made this collection an experience.
Some things can date a work of fiction. Maybe it's social attitudes, or the fashions depicted, or obsolete geography. In this case, it's the fact that a joke that would have been in bad taste prior to the First World War (when this was written), became utterly ghastly in the aftermath of World War II. Saki died in WWII and can't possibly have known that his deliberately-outrageous gag in the title story of The Unrest-Cure would become the least funny thing in the world. If you haven't figured it out: the title story includes a long-form Holocaust "joke" and no, I can't believe a guy who DIED thirty years before the Holocaust started did this, either.
There are some other issues, too. There are two cat-murders (and one attempted murder), and some children that are more disturbing than any created by Edward Gorey AND the Children of the Corn. So out of this collection, there are at least three stories I would prefer to have never read.
That said, there are some excellent stories in here, too, that I'm sure I will read again. That's why this isn't one star.
And I mentioned that the illustrations are very good, right? Because they are.
tl;dr Some excellent stories, but also cat-murders and a holocaust "joke." Readers strongly cautioned.
July 22, 2018
A delightful excursion into the bizarre world of Saki, a lamentably lesser known writer of the Victorian era. His stories are at turns hilarious, cruel, horrifying, moody, and melancholy, although the first two categories prevail. Favorites include the terrifying "Sredni Vashtar", where a sickly young boy idolizes a ferret living in his shed; "The Hounds of Fate", a grim, moody piece with a dark inevitability hanging about it; "Mark", a witty vignette which will elicit laughter from anyone unfortunate enough to have had to deal with a salesman; and any--and I mean any--of the Clovis Sangrail stories, but particularly "The Quest", "The Talking-Out of Tarrington", "Mrs. Packletide's Tiger", and this collection's titular story.
Edward Gorey's illustrations, as always, are a delight--they are atmospheric in the darker stories and gleefully melodramatic in the more comedic ones. The recurring character of Clovis is a positive devil in the shape of a dandy, which Gorey depicts impeccably in his pen-and-ink crosshatch.
One of my personal favorites, a genuine privilege to own. Get it as soon as you can.
Edward Gorey's illustrations, as always, are a delight--they are atmospheric in the darker stories and gleefully melodramatic in the more comedic ones. The recurring character of Clovis is a positive devil in the shape of a dandy, which Gorey depicts impeccably in his pen-and-ink crosshatch.
One of my personal favorites, a genuine privilege to own. Get it as soon as you can.
March 19, 2019
I was introduced to Saki in
Ghostly
. Saki’s stories were among my favorites of that collection, and stuck out in the midst of an otherwise mediocre set. I love a good satire and I also love lampooning the rich, so there’s a lot going for this book.
It followed through on much of them, but the problem with his stories being /so/ short is that they get very repetitive. It was also frustrating that the table of contents divided the book by which of his collections they were taken from (I think) but they didn’t do so in the main text itself - it would have been helpful even just for a slight visual break, to feel like there was structure.
That said, the stories were funny, and I’m sure there were stand outs though over a month out (which is when I actually wrote this review in my notes - I'm posting it monthS later) I can’t remember their names, but they would be better enjoyed in small doses - a wicked snack rather than a meal.
It followed through on much of them, but the problem with his stories being /so/ short is that they get very repetitive. It was also frustrating that the table of contents divided the book by which of his collections they were taken from (I think) but they didn’t do so in the main text itself - it would have been helpful even just for a slight visual break, to feel like there was structure.
That said, the stories were funny, and I’m sure there were stand outs though over a month out (which is when I actually wrote this review in my notes - I'm posting it monthS later) I can’t remember their names, but they would be better enjoyed in small doses - a wicked snack rather than a meal.
May 14, 2017
Edward Gorey and Saki must have been twins separated at birth. Gorey's enigmatic black and white drawings of femmes fatales and large men in Astrachan coats (perhaps made most famous by the opening credits in PBS Mystery) are perfect complements to Saki's ironic, often macabre, tales of the British upper crust. And he was clearly an influence on Gorey's own writing.
I had only read Saki's short short story, The Open Window, way back in high school. (I think it must be a standard requirement.) So I was not familiar with his other work. Many of the stories in this collection are as good or better than that one. A quick and entertaining read for those who delight in the quirky and clever. My favorite line in the book: " I love Americans but not when they try to talk French. What a blessing it is that they never try to talk English."
I had only read Saki's short short story, The Open Window, way back in high school. (I think it must be a standard requirement.) So I was not familiar with his other work. Many of the stories in this collection are as good or better than that one. A quick and entertaining read for those who delight in the quirky and clever. My favorite line in the book: " I love Americans but not when they try to talk French. What a blessing it is that they never try to talk English."
May 30, 2020
Before this book, I was only familiar with Saki as I had read “Sredni Vashtar” when I was 11 years old. That story has stuck with me. I was inspired to buy this book because of two reasons. The first being if an author’s story has stuck with me for 33 years, it might be time to read more of their works. And the second being the fact that Edward Gorey illustrated the stories.
Overall I enjoyed Saki’s work and will probably read more of his works “Sredni Vashtar” was the only creepy story in this collection as the rest tended to be mote witty than scary. There was a theme of unease running through the stories but it was more that Saki was mocking tradition and customs of the era.
Overall I enjoyed Saki’s work and will probably read more of his works “Sredni Vashtar” was the only creepy story in this collection as the rest tended to be mote witty than scary. There was a theme of unease running through the stories but it was more that Saki was mocking tradition and customs of the era.
December 20, 2020
Saki was a master of concision in fiction, and his battery of cutting remarks gives these stories a fullness that their short length would seem to defy. For this edition, the selection of Edward Gorey as illustrator is nonpareil: Gorey and Saki vibrate creatively at exactly the same wavelength.
That said, Saki's technique in these brief pieces does not vary much; each story mocks the pretensions of socially ambitious toffs as they navigate awkward situations with difficulty, all the while desperately trying to maintain appearances. Each story is well-crafted and admirably free of any unnecessary verbiage, and yet there is not much to distinguish the individual stories from each other.
That said, Saki's technique in these brief pieces does not vary much; each story mocks the pretensions of socially ambitious toffs as they navigate awkward situations with difficulty, all the while desperately trying to maintain appearances. Each story is well-crafted and admirably free of any unnecessary verbiage, and yet there is not much to distinguish the individual stories from each other.
April 1, 2025
this might be the oldest book I've ever read? most of the stories are from the 1910s and it shows (there's lots of references I can't get) but I could get the gist that it's making fun of the frivolous problems of the aristocrats. most of the tales were a mild form of revenge. no surprise that the ones that were a little bit more alarming were more engrossing. I can see Saki being a big hit in his time but the modern day reader should stick to the tales that are more relatable, like the talking cat that can spill everyone's secrets.
June 18, 2017
This is a nice collection of Saki stories. Each one is individually delightful but they have a certain repetitiveness so it is wise to opt for a shorter collection and, even then, to space them out over time. The stories are tightly constructed, witty send ups of British manners--often with a twist or a pseudo-supernatural element. They have a narrow window but fully own their terrain.
July 29, 2022
A fun collection of short stories. Very late 19th and early 20th century vintage. The funniest/most memorable one was, "Reginald on Besetting Sins-The Woman Who Told the Truth".
"...and it is so easy to slip into the habit of telling the truth in little matters. And it became more difficult to draw the line at more important things, until at last she took to telling the truth about her age..."
"...and it is so easy to slip into the habit of telling the truth in little matters. And it became more difficult to draw the line at more important things, until at last she took to telling the truth about her age..."
July 18, 2023
If Wilde is your friend who’s funny but also has to make sure everyone knows how funny he is, then Saki is the friend who quietly and casually fires off killer joke after killer joke, all aimed at the upper class. Great fun.
November 20, 2023
4.5 stars. So clever, subversive, dark, and funny. I’ve been reading Gorey for ages but this is the first time I remember reading Saki and it was a delight. I will definitely check out other works by this author.
January 2, 2018
The characters, especially Clovis, were amusing in their own way, and each story made sharp observations about the lies and performances people in social settings put on for one another.
April 20, 2018
The stories are definitely worth the Gorey illustrations! Creepy with some dark humor thrown in.
January 27, 2019
These stories are an unexpected delight. And the illustrations by Edward Gory are like icing on this dry witty cake.
April 12, 2019
Incredibly humorous and macabre book of short stories, that, while unsettling, is never disturbing, but simply amusing.
May 18, 2019
Wonderful! Short (some VERY) stories “whimsical and macabre” as the description reads.
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