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The General's Wife
The General's Wife is a novelette from a previously unpublished draft of Straub's novel, Floating Dragon.
- GenresHorror
128 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1982
135 people want to read
About the author
Peter Straub
259 books4,203 followersPeter Straub was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the son of Gordon Anthony Straub and Elvena (Nilsestuen) Straub.
Straub read voraciously from an early age, but his literary interests did not please his parents; his father hoped that he would grow up to be a professional athlete, while his mother wanted him to be a Lutheran minister. He attended Milwaukee Country Day School on a scholarship, and, during his time there, began writing.
Straub earned an honors BA in English at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1965, and an MA at Columbia University a year later. He briefly taught English at Milwaukee Country Day, then moved to Dublin, Ireland, in 1969 to work on a PhD, and to start writing professionally
After mixed success with two attempts at literary mainstream novels in the mid-1970s ("Marriages" and "Under Venus"), Straub dabbled in the supernatural for the first time with "Julia" (1975). He then wrote "If You Could See Me Now" (1977), and came to widespread public attention with his fifth novel, "Ghost Story" (1979), which was a critical success and was later adapted into a 1981 film. Several horror novels followed, with growing success, including "The Talisman" and "Black House", two fantasy-horror collaborations with Straub's long-time friend and fellow author Stephen King.
In addition to his many novels, he published several works of poetry during his lifetime.
In 1966, Straub married Susan Bitker.They had two children; their daughter, Emma Straub, is also a novelist. The family lived in Dublin from 1969 to 1972, in London from 1972 to 1979, and in the New York City area from 1979 onwards.
Straub died on September 4, 2022, aged 79, from complications of a broken hip. At the time of his death, he and his wife lived in Brooklyn (New York City).
Straub read voraciously from an early age, but his literary interests did not please his parents; his father hoped that he would grow up to be a professional athlete, while his mother wanted him to be a Lutheran minister. He attended Milwaukee Country Day School on a scholarship, and, during his time there, began writing.
Straub earned an honors BA in English at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1965, and an MA at Columbia University a year later. He briefly taught English at Milwaukee Country Day, then moved to Dublin, Ireland, in 1969 to work on a PhD, and to start writing professionally
After mixed success with two attempts at literary mainstream novels in the mid-1970s ("Marriages" and "Under Venus"), Straub dabbled in the supernatural for the first time with "Julia" (1975). He then wrote "If You Could See Me Now" (1977), and came to widespread public attention with his fifth novel, "Ghost Story" (1979), which was a critical success and was later adapted into a 1981 film. Several horror novels followed, with growing success, including "The Talisman" and "Black House", two fantasy-horror collaborations with Straub's long-time friend and fellow author Stephen King.
In addition to his many novels, he published several works of poetry during his lifetime.
In 1966, Straub married Susan Bitker.They had two children; their daughter, Emma Straub, is also a novelist. The family lived in Dublin from 1969 to 1972, in London from 1972 to 1979, and in the New York City area from 1979 onwards.
Straub died on September 4, 2022, aged 79, from complications of a broken hip. At the time of his death, he and his wife lived in Brooklyn (New York City).
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
September 2, 2022
When I was still in high school, on a huge Stephen King kick, and discovering Peter Straub, there was a book I saw listed on his "Also By" frontispiece page that always eluded me: The General's Wife. I couldn't find it on bookshelves, couldn't order it through the bookstores, and I'd find myself searching for it at used bookstores throughout college. After a while, I just forgot about it.
I finally found it a few years ago in a rare books catalog, and while I'm no longer the Straub completionist I used to be, I still NEEDED to read this book. The whole obsession came rushing back to me, and since it wasn't expensive, of course I ordered it. It still took me a year or two to get around to reading it, but it felt like being able to strike through something on a decades-old checklist.
The book has a lengthy introduction giving us a history of this story. It was originally intended to be a part of Floating Dragon, and was a retelling of a Carlos Fuentes story he had discovered while writing that book, but his editor told him to cut it, so it wound up without a home. Enter the small press....
I went back and read that Fuentes story after reading the introduction, and I'm glad I did. Knowing what was to come helped me catch the foreshadowing, and I liked seeing how Straub changed the story up in small but significant ways. I don't want to get into too much detail for fear of spoiling the story, but aside from a new setting and a new protagonist, he shifts the personalities of the secondary characters, gives his main character a larger backstory, and even gives the story a happier ending (though I'd still be reluctant to call it "happy"; this is a horror story, after all).
It's a shame this story isn't more widely available. Fans of old Straub and old King would love it.
I finally found it a few years ago in a rare books catalog, and while I'm no longer the Straub completionist I used to be, I still NEEDED to read this book. The whole obsession came rushing back to me, and since it wasn't expensive, of course I ordered it. It still took me a year or two to get around to reading it, but it felt like being able to strike through something on a decades-old checklist.
The book has a lengthy introduction giving us a history of this story. It was originally intended to be a part of Floating Dragon, and was a retelling of a Carlos Fuentes story he had discovered while writing that book, but his editor told him to cut it, so it wound up without a home. Enter the small press....
I went back and read that Fuentes story after reading the introduction, and I'm glad I did. Knowing what was to come helped me catch the foreshadowing, and I liked seeing how Straub changed the story up in small but significant ways. I don't want to get into too much detail for fear of spoiling the story, but aside from a new setting and a new protagonist, he shifts the personalities of the secondary characters, gives his main character a larger backstory, and even gives the story a happier ending (though I'd still be reluctant to call it "happy"; this is a horror story, after all).
It's a shame this story isn't more widely available. Fans of old Straub and old King would love it.
October 2, 2020
La narrativa de Peter Straub rara vez decepciona. En “La esposa del general” tenemos a una protagonista ejemplificando un escenario bastante conocido; un matrimonio sin amor. Es cautivada por un trabajo bastante bien pagado al estar a cargo de un anciano y su “nieto” y lógicamente se enamora del él aunque este no parece ser realmente el nieto del general.
Aunque la historia tarda en envolverte, ya que la protagonista francamente desespera, el final hace su correspondiente giro de tuerca para que todo tenga un poco más de sentido, hablando estrictamente del género de horror.
El mensaje del cuento podría interpretarse de muchos modos, sin embargo es evidente que pone sobre la mesa el tema del adulterio, el matrimonio, el rol de la mujer y por qué no, el de la neceofilia, a cuestión.
Vale bastante la pena. 4/5
Aunque la historia tarda en envolverte, ya que la protagonista francamente desespera, el final hace su correspondiente giro de tuerca para que todo tenga un poco más de sentido, hablando estrictamente del género de horror.
El mensaje del cuento podría interpretarse de muchos modos, sin embargo es evidente que pone sobre la mesa el tema del adulterio, el matrimonio, el rol de la mujer y por qué no, el de la neceofilia, a cuestión.
Vale bastante la pena. 4/5
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews