What do you think?
Rate this book
100 One Hundred Word Tales
Welcome to the wonderful world of drabbles!
A drabble is a piece of writing precisely 100 words long. A challenge to write, but fun to read, they often tell a tale with a twist or encapsulate an idea or emotion.
In this collection, perfect for dipping into in a spare moment, you'll experience the full gamut of emotions, amusing and shocking twists, several mini-series of drabbles, and a surprise or two along the way.
And, true to drabble rules, everything in the book is exactly one hundred words in length, from the stories themselves to the foreword and this blurb!
A drabble is a piece of writing precisely 100 words long. A challenge to write, but fun to read, they often tell a tale with a twist or encapsulate an idea or emotion.
In this collection, perfect for dipping into in a spare moment, you'll experience the full gamut of emotions, amusing and shocking twists, several mini-series of drabbles, and a surprise or two along the way.
And, true to drabble rules, everything in the book is exactly one hundred words in length, from the stories themselves to the foreword and this blurb!
112 pages, Paperback
First published August 25, 2013
4 people are currently reading
93 people want to read
About the author
Jonathan Hill
25 books76 followersJonathan Hill is an author from Manchester, UK.
His work isn’t confined to one genre, but he has already published a number of gay literary fiction books to high critical acclaim. His debut novel 'FAG', a hard-hitting story set in an English boarding school in the 1930s, was named as the overall winner in the Self-Published and Small Press 2014 Book Awards.
He has also penned the hit comedy series of Maureen books, in addition to numerous short stories and 100-word drabbles. Jonathan firmly believes that writing should not only entertain but also enhance and change the way readers view the world.
When he’s not writing and working as a pharmacist, he enjoys painting, photography and going to the theatre.
www.jhillwriter.com
www.fagthenovel.com
His work isn’t confined to one genre, but he has already published a number of gay literary fiction books to high critical acclaim. His debut novel 'FAG', a hard-hitting story set in an English boarding school in the 1930s, was named as the overall winner in the Self-Published and Small Press 2014 Book Awards.
He has also penned the hit comedy series of Maureen books, in addition to numerous short stories and 100-word drabbles. Jonathan firmly believes that writing should not only entertain but also enhance and change the way readers view the world.
When he’s not writing and working as a pharmacist, he enjoys painting, photography and going to the theatre.
www.jhillwriter.com
www.fagthenovel.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 10, 2013
This is one of the most amazing books I have read recently. I cannot believe what a talent I have found.
At first I said to myself "How can you tell a story in 100 words? And on top of that how can it be any good?". I feel as if I know of where I speak because I tried very hard to enter a short story contest and I could not get my story down to the alloted 500 words. So to get a story to 100 words? I had to see this.
I had already read a few drabbles from a friend of Jonathan's and a fellow author. But they were horror. Which takes nothing away from them but Jonathan ran the whole scope of feelings. There were hysterically funny drabbles, sad drabbles, make your blood run cold drabbles, better look over your shoulder drabbles, make you stop and think drabbles, and I can go on and on. Jonathan seems to bring up every human emotion in 100 words. And every time you turn the page. And he does not repeat any tale at all which I find amazing. I have fallen into drabble fever and have been posting some to my blog but they are very holiday-ish. I would have to work very hard to accomplish what Jonathan has. But he has laid the foundation for me to be even more creative than I already am.
I loved the book so much I just purchased "Beyond 100 Drabbles" as well as a "Maureen" tale.
You are probably wondering exactly what I was wondering when I read about 100 word stories. But trust me, it is like nothing you have ever experienced. And they are like potato chips - once you start them, you have to keep reading them or you have to start writing them. I have read the typical if you will inspirational books before. But this inspired me to write, and I actually did. That is saying a lot and giving a lot of credit to this author.
Give this book a try and then keep going from there. Learn all about this incredible author and on goodreads here, click on his blog to see his Drabble Advent Calender which he is doing with Kath Middleton. If you are reading this any other place than goodreads, than go to Jonathan's profile at https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... and then you will find his blog there.
But by all means, read this book. If it does not change your life I will be stunned.
At first I said to myself "How can you tell a story in 100 words? And on top of that how can it be any good?". I feel as if I know of where I speak because I tried very hard to enter a short story contest and I could not get my story down to the alloted 500 words. So to get a story to 100 words? I had to see this.
I had already read a few drabbles from a friend of Jonathan's and a fellow author. But they were horror. Which takes nothing away from them but Jonathan ran the whole scope of feelings. There were hysterically funny drabbles, sad drabbles, make your blood run cold drabbles, better look over your shoulder drabbles, make you stop and think drabbles, and I can go on and on. Jonathan seems to bring up every human emotion in 100 words. And every time you turn the page. And he does not repeat any tale at all which I find amazing. I have fallen into drabble fever and have been posting some to my blog but they are very holiday-ish. I would have to work very hard to accomplish what Jonathan has. But he has laid the foundation for me to be even more creative than I already am.
I loved the book so much I just purchased "Beyond 100 Drabbles" as well as a "Maureen" tale.
You are probably wondering exactly what I was wondering when I read about 100 word stories. But trust me, it is like nothing you have ever experienced. And they are like potato chips - once you start them, you have to keep reading them or you have to start writing them. I have read the typical if you will inspirational books before. But this inspired me to write, and I actually did. That is saying a lot and giving a lot of credit to this author.
Give this book a try and then keep going from there. Learn all about this incredible author and on goodreads here, click on his blog to see his Drabble Advent Calender which he is doing with Kath Middleton. If you are reading this any other place than goodreads, than go to Jonathan's profile at https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... and then you will find his blog there.
But by all means, read this book. If it does not change your life I will be stunned.
September 23, 2013
Anyone who knows me knows the I love drabbles, if you don't know what drabbles are then they are a form of short fiction that are exactly 100 words long (not including the title). What makes them fun is that they are a bite-size story that can be enjoyed in those little gaps in the day. They also present a good challenge for writers trying to make a story coherent and interesting in so few words.
In this latest book by Jonathan Hill he presents 100 drabbles and they come in all kinds of flavours, many are dark, many are funny and many are both. I've read the author's drabbles on various sites, so when he announced that he was writing a book full of them I was immediately interested and I'm pleased to say that I wasn't dissapointed.
He is a master of the form, many of the finest drabbles are structured like a good job, they set you up and then twist the tale right at the end. There are some fine examples of this in the book, there's also some fun themes throughout with some of the drabbles forming a series. And for fans of Maureen, she makes a few appearences as well.
Overall this is a fun and quick read, you can read them all at once as I did, or dip in and out when you feel like it. I'm pleased that the drabble form is growing in popularity and this book should certainly help with that cause.
In this latest book by Jonathan Hill he presents 100 drabbles and they come in all kinds of flavours, many are dark, many are funny and many are both. I've read the author's drabbles on various sites, so when he announced that he was writing a book full of them I was immediately interested and I'm pleased to say that I wasn't dissapointed.
He is a master of the form, many of the finest drabbles are structured like a good job, they set you up and then twist the tale right at the end. There are some fine examples of this in the book, there's also some fun themes throughout with some of the drabbles forming a series. And for fans of Maureen, she makes a few appearences as well.
Overall this is a fun and quick read, you can read them all at once as I did, or dip in and out when you feel like it. I'm pleased that the drabble form is growing in popularity and this book should certainly help with that cause.
December 27, 2013
I'd not come across this genre before and the idea intrigued me. I do like haiku as a form of poetry and I find that those that work for me are very strong. These stories affected me in the same way - there are quite a few that surprised me in varying ways which I loved and some that were less successful for me. I think they are great for a Kindle allowing a quick burst of entertainment and I'll aim to have one of these on the device in the future.
August 3, 2014
(I received this book for free as part of Goodreads First Reads giveaways).
(This review may contain spoilers).
I don't tend to read a lot of drabbles. It's not because I don't like them - I just haven't come across too many authors who write them.
I have run into a variety of different opinions on word length. One particular person mentioned that they wouldn't read a chapter of something shorter than 1000 words.
Personally, I do think that drabbles can be done well, but in some ways, they take more effort than longer pieces of fiction. In this case, I felt the author did a really good job of writing a collection of different drabbles that managed to be really entertaining to read.
I liked how some of the drabbles had similar themes that ran through and even how some of them were linked between settings and characters. There were some that made me smile and others that made me cringe... and a few that confused me and which I'm still not sure I really understood.
It was really good how some of the drabbles were able to surprise me, too. Not all of them were what I would have expected.
I think the drabbbles in this book were really creative and although some of them shard similar themes, there was enough variety to keep my attention throughout. I would definitely say this book is one that's worth reading. It's a quick, easy read and I feel it's a good showcasing of creativity.
(This review may contain spoilers).
I don't tend to read a lot of drabbles. It's not because I don't like them - I just haven't come across too many authors who write them.
I have run into a variety of different opinions on word length. One particular person mentioned that they wouldn't read a chapter of something shorter than 1000 words.
Personally, I do think that drabbles can be done well, but in some ways, they take more effort than longer pieces of fiction. In this case, I felt the author did a really good job of writing a collection of different drabbles that managed to be really entertaining to read.
I liked how some of the drabbles had similar themes that ran through and even how some of them were linked between settings and characters. There were some that made me smile and others that made me cringe... and a few that confused me and which I'm still not sure I really understood.
It was really good how some of the drabbles were able to surprise me, too. Not all of them were what I would have expected.
I think the drabbbles in this book were really creative and although some of them shard similar themes, there was enough variety to keep my attention throughout. I would definitely say this book is one that's worth reading. It's a quick, easy read and I feel it's a good showcasing of creativity.
March 9, 2014
In this collection of drabbles there is something for everyone including several "Maureen" drabbles which all her fans will enjoy.
Some of the drabbles are amusing; some challenging and thought provoking; some are macabre; and "The History of Art Revealed" is laugh aloud funny. Needless to say, all are highly readable and entertaining written with style and panache.
Jonathan Hill succeeds in making each of the stories a perfect little miniature often with an unexpected twist at the end. Or, where the ending is anticipated, there is a satisfying sense of completeness.
This collection of drabbles makes ideal reading when circumstances prevent you from settling down to a full novel. Highly recommended.
Some of the drabbles are amusing; some challenging and thought provoking; some are macabre; and "The History of Art Revealed" is laugh aloud funny. Needless to say, all are highly readable and entertaining written with style and panache.
Jonathan Hill succeeds in making each of the stories a perfect little miniature often with an unexpected twist at the end. Or, where the ending is anticipated, there is a satisfying sense of completeness.
This collection of drabbles makes ideal reading when circumstances prevent you from settling down to a full novel. Highly recommended.
September 22, 2013
This collection of complete stories, each 100 words long, is perfect when you're hanging out for a reading fix but don't have time to get involved in a complex plot. There is plenty of variety, which might suggest that there will be something for everyone - however, I enjoyed them all.
March 26, 2014
A ton of lightweight tales from a heavyweight storyteller
One of the modern masters of the drabble format, Jonathan Hill gives us a hundred original stories of precisely one hundred words each. This collection shows off a huge amount of creativity, imagination and mischievous wordplay, with drabbles across a range of genres from comedy to tragedy.
It's tempting to sit down and consume this book in one go, as each drabble is so quick and easy to read. But many of them are subtle and require digestion, while others deserve to linger in your mind for a while, rather than being blown away by the next great little tale.
Although each works as a standalone, some are part of mini-arcs such as 'The History of Art Revealed' and 'Stage Debut' that give them a common theme. There is also a moving mini-story told in multiple drabbles portraying the life of a man named Miles, plus of course Jonathan's hit character Maureen pops up a few times, as hopelessly funny as ever! The author also manages to guest-star a few times, making fun of himself and his addiction to writing drabbles.
This is a highly recommended book to read in-between longer novels, and may even inspire you to try writing a 100-word story yourself. But be warned that Jonathan makes it look a lot easier than it really is!
One of the modern masters of the drabble format, Jonathan Hill gives us a hundred original stories of precisely one hundred words each. This collection shows off a huge amount of creativity, imagination and mischievous wordplay, with drabbles across a range of genres from comedy to tragedy.
It's tempting to sit down and consume this book in one go, as each drabble is so quick and easy to read. But many of them are subtle and require digestion, while others deserve to linger in your mind for a while, rather than being blown away by the next great little tale.
Although each works as a standalone, some are part of mini-arcs such as 'The History of Art Revealed' and 'Stage Debut' that give them a common theme. There is also a moving mini-story told in multiple drabbles portraying the life of a man named Miles, plus of course Jonathan's hit character Maureen pops up a few times, as hopelessly funny as ever! The author also manages to guest-star a few times, making fun of himself and his addiction to writing drabbles.
This is a highly recommended book to read in-between longer novels, and may even inspire you to try writing a 100-word story yourself. But be warned that Jonathan makes it look a lot easier than it really is!
August 26, 2013
I’ll confess to partiality here - I’ve recently become very keen on drabbles – one hundred word stories. When they are well done, the story is a little gem, often with an unexpected twist at the end. These are very well done. I intended to read one or two per session and to allow myself to digest them before reading more, but this is the ebook equivalent of a tub of Pringles. Once you pop, you can’t stop! I confess to having read them all back to back but I know I’ll have this on my kindle home page for a long time, just to dip into.
This book is the first I’m aware of with a collection of drabbles from a single author and I was impressed at the range of styles. We have gently amusing, outright funny, some rather risqué stories, dark horror and a number of moving and sad tales here. There’s a lot of food for thought in some of them. I enjoyed the ‘linked’ ones scattered throughout the book, on the same theme or with the same character.
I hope this book takes off because I’d love to see more drabble collections. They are the ideal ‘only got a minute’ reading.
This book is the first I’m aware of with a collection of drabbles from a single author and I was impressed at the range of styles. We have gently amusing, outright funny, some rather risqué stories, dark horror and a number of moving and sad tales here. There’s a lot of food for thought in some of them. I enjoyed the ‘linked’ ones scattered throughout the book, on the same theme or with the same character.
I hope this book takes off because I’d love to see more drabble collections. They are the ideal ‘only got a minute’ reading.
June 19, 2014
This is the perfect "pick up put down" book whether at home, on a journey or in the office (when you should be doing something else. No need for a bookmark, the slowest readers can devour 100 words in a short time. An entertaining and cleverly written collection of "drabbles". Never heard of them and had to check they exist - they do. I enjoyed their diversity from the serious and shocking to the lighthearted and funny.
Harder to write than you think . I have just tried and failed. So as my old English teacher would say you must try harder....
Harder to write than you think . I have just tried and failed. So as my old English teacher would say you must try harder....
January 12, 2014
An interesting collection of 100 stories 100 words long.
February 8, 2018
These stories are brilliant! At first, I thought ‘how can you tell a story in just 100 words?’, but Jonathan Hill does this superbly. They are brilliantly funny with unexpected twists! I particularly liked ‘His Toothbrush’, ‘An Intruder’ and ‘The Smell of a New Book’. The imagination and word play in this collection of drabbles are great. Jonathon Hill is certainly a talented writer!
April 30, 2015
This was the one of the best books I read last year. Its is annoying me I cannot remember what one word tales are called but I wrote over 50 of them and Jonathon loved them. As you will surely love his. It is amazing how you can get a story into 100 words. Jonanthan does it flawlessly.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews