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The Two Headed Calf
Book by Sandra Birdsell
- GenresFictionShort Stories
269 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
1 person is currently reading
51 people want to read
About the author
Sandra Birdsell
18 books15 followersSandra Louise Birdsell (née Bartlette) is a Canadian novelist and short story writer of Métis and Mennonite heritage.
Sandra is the fifth of eleven children. She lived most of her life in Morris, Manitoba and now in Regina, Saskatchewan.
Sandra left home at age fifteen. At the age of thirty-five, she enrolled in Creative Writing at the University Of Winnipeg. Five years later, Turnstone Press published her first book, the “Night Travellers” and two years after, “Ladies Of The House”. Both are published in one volume as Agassiz stories.
Two events shaped her worldview and influenced her writing, the first when Sandra was six years-old. Her sister died from leukemia. That left a four year gap before her next older sister. She felt alone even surrounded by 9 siblings. Her loneliness led her to ponder nearby parks and rivers, allowing her imagination to be wild.
The second event was the massive flood of Morris in 1950. Her first three successful stories in “Night Travellers” are based on it.
She is a Mom of three children and Grandma to four. Her husband, Jan Zarzycki is a filmmaker.
Sandra is the fifth of eleven children. She lived most of her life in Morris, Manitoba and now in Regina, Saskatchewan.
Sandra left home at age fifteen. At the age of thirty-five, she enrolled in Creative Writing at the University Of Winnipeg. Five years later, Turnstone Press published her first book, the “Night Travellers” and two years after, “Ladies Of The House”. Both are published in one volume as Agassiz stories.
Two events shaped her worldview and influenced her writing, the first when Sandra was six years-old. Her sister died from leukemia. That left a four year gap before her next older sister. She felt alone even surrounded by 9 siblings. Her loneliness led her to ponder nearby parks and rivers, allowing her imagination to be wild.
The second event was the massive flood of Morris in 1950. Her first three successful stories in “Night Travellers” are based on it.
She is a Mom of three children and Grandma to four. Her husband, Jan Zarzycki is a filmmaker.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
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March 23, 2021In the midst of re-reading some of Mavis Gallant's short stories, I got distracted by this book. The writing couldn't be more different, and yet both excel at the form: short story.
Birdsell's stories are set in the Canadian Prairie, but her exploration of the human heart, the longing and jealousy, the fear and love, are universal. The stories are intricately woven, often traversing timelines and place, yet the narrative holds. Bit players come to life in just a few details: a flash of flesh, a necklace. Main characters are artfully drawn, their full personalities gradually revealed as the stories unfold. She has also gloriously depicts nature, knows all the weeds and how they behave. The way a stream can flood. The danger of ice.
For me, four stories particularly resonated: "I used to play bass in a band," "The two-headed calf," "Disappearances," and "The ballad of the Sargent Brothers." The latter brought me to tears: that abandoned and partly destroyed sculpture garden, the one intact figure and the inscription: Forgive me. It's haunting.
Her work is stunning.
Birdsell's stories are set in the Canadian Prairie, but her exploration of the human heart, the longing and jealousy, the fear and love, are universal. The stories are intricately woven, often traversing timelines and place, yet the narrative holds. Bit players come to life in just a few details: a flash of flesh, a necklace. Main characters are artfully drawn, their full personalities gradually revealed as the stories unfold. She has also gloriously depicts nature, knows all the weeds and how they behave. The way a stream can flood. The danger of ice.
For me, four stories particularly resonated: "I used to play bass in a band," "The two-headed calf," "Disappearances," and "The ballad of the Sargent Brothers." The latter brought me to tears: that abandoned and partly destroyed sculpture garden, the one intact figure and the inscription: Forgive me. It's haunting.
Her work is stunning.
December 16, 2020
I don't love short stories, they just never seem to dig deep enough into the characters, or just when you are starting to connect with someone, the story is over. I enjoyed many of these stories as they were set in Manitoba, where I live and it was nice to visit familiar landmarks. Others were just a snapshot and needed more.
Favorite stories: I used to play bass in a band, and Rooms for Rent.
Least favorite: Phantom limbs
Favorite stories: I used to play bass in a band, and Rooms for Rent.
Least favorite: Phantom limbs
July 5, 2010
The Two-Headed Calf is a collection of short stories. Some were loosely connected (same town, characters from one story mentioned in another, that sort of thing) while others weren’t connected except via geography (they were all set in the prairies, mostly Manitoba). These stories were very readable, but they didn't wow me. Perhaps I shouldn't have read two Manitoba-based books in a row ;-) Really, I think I just didn't connect with the characters. I'm sure others would find them appealing.
October 20, 2012
What a drag so far. I hope I will start liking it soon but i am at page 50something now and it is not getting any better... Might be one of those rare books that I will just have to drop.
Nope, couldn't make myself to get past those 50 something pages. What a waste of time.
Nope, couldn't make myself to get past those 50 something pages. What a waste of time.
June 27, 2015
Short stories are not my favourite - I enjoyed some of these and scanned some.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews