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Cheerful, by Request
From "Cheerful -- By Request" The editor paid for the lunch (as editors do). He lighted his seventh cigarette and leaned back. The conversation, which had zigzagged from the war to Zuloaga, and from Rasputin the Monk to the number of miles a Darrow would go on a gallon, narrowed down to the thin, straight line of business.
"Now don't misunderstand. Please! We're not presuming to dictate. Dear me, no! We have always felt that the writer should be free to express that which is in his -- ah -- heart. But in the last year we've been swamped with these drab, realistic stories. Strong, relentless things, you know, about dishwashers, with a lot of fine detail about the fuzz of grease on the rim of the pan. And then those drear and hopeless ones about fallen sisters who end it all in the East River. The East River must be choked up with 'em. Now, I know that life is real, life is earnest, and I'm not demanding a happy ending, exactly. But if you could -- that is -- would you -- do you see your way at all clear to giving us a fairly cheerful story? Not necessarily Glad, but not so darned Russian, if you get me. Not pink, but not all grey either. Say -- mauve. . . ."
That was Josie Fifer's existence. Mostly grey, with a dash of pink. Which makes mauve. . . .
*
Also included in this volume are "The Gay Old Dog," "The Tough Guy," "The Eldest," "That's Marriage," "The Woman Who Tried to Be Good," "The Girl Who Went Right," "The Hooker-Up-the-Back," "The Guiding Miss Gowd," "Sophy-as-She-Might-Have-Been," "The Three of Them," and "Shore Leave."
"Now don't misunderstand. Please! We're not presuming to dictate. Dear me, no! We have always felt that the writer should be free to express that which is in his -- ah -- heart. But in the last year we've been swamped with these drab, realistic stories. Strong, relentless things, you know, about dishwashers, with a lot of fine detail about the fuzz of grease on the rim of the pan. And then those drear and hopeless ones about fallen sisters who end it all in the East River. The East River must be choked up with 'em. Now, I know that life is real, life is earnest, and I'm not demanding a happy ending, exactly. But if you could -- that is -- would you -- do you see your way at all clear to giving us a fairly cheerful story? Not necessarily Glad, but not so darned Russian, if you get me. Not pink, but not all grey either. Say -- mauve. . . ."
That was Josie Fifer's existence. Mostly grey, with a dash of pink. Which makes mauve. . . .
*
Also included in this volume are "The Gay Old Dog," "The Tough Guy," "The Eldest," "That's Marriage," "The Woman Who Tried to Be Good," "The Girl Who Went Right," "The Hooker-Up-the-Back," "The Guiding Miss Gowd," "Sophy-as-She-Might-Have-Been," "The Three of Them," and "Shore Leave."
- GenresShort StoriesFiction
216 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1913
33 people are currently reading
81 people want to read
About the author
Edna Ferber
277 books286 followersEdna Ferber was an American novelist, short story writer and playwright. Her novels were popular in her lifetime and included the Pulitzer Prize-winning So Big (1924), Show Boat (1926; made into the celebrated 1927 musical), Cimarron (1929; made into the 1931 film which won the Academy Award for Best Picture), and Giant (1952; made into the 1956 Hollywood movie).
Ferber was born August 15, 1885, in Kalamazoo, Michigan, to a Hungarian-born Jewish storekeeper, Jacob Charles Ferber, and his Milwaukee, Wisconsin-born wife, Julia (Neumann) Ferber. At the age of 12, after living in Chicago, Illinois and Ottumwa, Iowa, Ferber and her family moved to Appleton, Wisconsin, where she graduated from high school and briefly attended Lawrence University. She took newspaper jobs at the Appleton Daily Crescent and the Milwaukee Journal before publishing her first novel. She covered the 1920 Republican National Convention and 1920 Democratic National Convention for the United Press Association.
Ferber's novels generally featured strong female protagonists, along with a rich and diverse collection of supporting characters. She usually highlighted at least one strong secondary character who faced discrimination ethnically or for other reasons; through this technique, Ferber demonstrated her belief that people are people and that the not-so-pretty people have the best character.
Ferber was a member of the Algonquin Round Table, a group of wits who met for lunch every day at the Algonquin Hotel in New York.
Ferber was born August 15, 1885, in Kalamazoo, Michigan, to a Hungarian-born Jewish storekeeper, Jacob Charles Ferber, and his Milwaukee, Wisconsin-born wife, Julia (Neumann) Ferber. At the age of 12, after living in Chicago, Illinois and Ottumwa, Iowa, Ferber and her family moved to Appleton, Wisconsin, where she graduated from high school and briefly attended Lawrence University. She took newspaper jobs at the Appleton Daily Crescent and the Milwaukee Journal before publishing her first novel. She covered the 1920 Republican National Convention and 1920 Democratic National Convention for the United Press Association.
Ferber's novels generally featured strong female protagonists, along with a rich and diverse collection of supporting characters. She usually highlighted at least one strong secondary character who faced discrimination ethnically or for other reasons; through this technique, Ferber demonstrated her belief that people are people and that the not-so-pretty people have the best character.
Ferber was a member of the Algonquin Round Table, a group of wits who met for lunch every day at the Algonquin Hotel in New York.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 11, 2021
Very good short stories about working Chicago girls in the 1910’s. Edna Ferber’s descriptions of everyday situations have a special kind of charm and humor.
“The room was in almost comic disorder. It was a room in which a struggle has taken place between its occupant and that burning-eyed hag, Sleeplessness. The hag, it was plain, had won.”
“When Orville Platt ate a soft-boiled egg he concentrated on it. He treated it as a great adventure. Which, after all, it is. Few adjuncts of daily life contain the element of chance that is to be found in a three-minute breakfast egg.
This was Orville Platt’s method of attack: First, he chipped off the top, neatly. Then he bent forward and subjected it to a passionate and relentless scrutiny. Straightening-preparatory to plunging his spoon therein-he flapped his right elbow. Orville Platt always gave that little preliminary flap when he was contemplating a step, or when he was moved, or argumentative. It was a trick as innocent as it was maddening.”
“The room was in almost comic disorder. It was a room in which a struggle has taken place between its occupant and that burning-eyed hag, Sleeplessness. The hag, it was plain, had won.”
“When Orville Platt ate a soft-boiled egg he concentrated on it. He treated it as a great adventure. Which, after all, it is. Few adjuncts of daily life contain the element of chance that is to be found in a three-minute breakfast egg.
This was Orville Platt’s method of attack: First, he chipped off the top, neatly. Then he bent forward and subjected it to a passionate and relentless scrutiny. Straightening-preparatory to plunging his spoon therein-he flapped his right elbow. Orville Platt always gave that little preliminary flap when he was contemplating a step, or when he was moved, or argumentative. It was a trick as innocent as it was maddening.”
August 24, 2016
She actually begins one of these stories by listing the types of short story, common plotlines and characters, and how authors manipulate their readers. I don't care if I can see the inner workings, I still love this author, and am totally bound up in her people. Those brave and determined women, they break me up.
January 26, 2009
Ferber is amazing. She really doesn't get enough credit - I suggest reading all her work. She's the best!
October 15, 2023
I always have a hard time rating an Edna Ferber collection because it's a mix of stories I would rate three stars and stories I would rate four or even five. Ferber is a very, very good short story writer. But there's some I like and some I don't—her character development is always exquisite, but sometimes she gives those characters a fulfilling ending and other times she leaves them hopeless. Unlike some authors, though, you can usually get a feeling right from the beginning which way the story is going, which oddly enough allows me to appreciate even the darker ones better.
My favorites in this collection were probably "That's Marriage," "Cheerful—By Request," and "Shore Leave."
My favorites in this collection were probably "That's Marriage," "Cheerful—By Request," and "Shore Leave."
June 9, 2021
Loving Edna
I loved a couple of these (stories) and slogged through others -- but over all, I'm still in awe of Ms Ferber.
I loved a couple of these (stories) and slogged through others -- but over all, I'm still in awe of Ms Ferber.
September 15, 2021
Very good set of short stories with interesting characters, mostly women. Some are somewhat sad and lonely; others are confident and busy. Very memorable characters for short stories.
February 25, 2010
Another good group of short stories from Edna Ferber. This time, as the title suggests, the stories are connected by themes of carapace, duty, loneliness, and longing for something other than what is. Although there are some dated moments, especially with regards to non-Caucasian characters, many of the overall concepts still resonate today.
November 2, 2008
I got this book at an antique store without knowing anything about the author or book. I read what I thought was the "first chapter" and found out upon turning the page that it is a book of short stories.
They're all good, but many of them left me wanting more!
They're all good, but many of them left me wanting more!
December 27, 2009
Really interesting and entertaining. The book is available free for download from www.manybooks.net (the copyright has expired, so it's okay). What I find so interesting is how contemporary these stories are...a very fluid narrative. Highly recommended!
February 19, 2015
Cheerful?
This is a collection of stories. Some bring a smile. I did not chuckle at any. Most concern women. The final one is about a new member of the U. S. Navy.
It is an enjoyable read as you can stop after each one, or continue to through them all without missing a beat.
This is a collection of stories. Some bring a smile. I did not chuckle at any. Most concern women. The final one is about a new member of the U. S. Navy.
It is an enjoyable read as you can stop after each one, or continue to through them all without missing a beat.
October 24, 2012
Another good book of short stories.
January 2, 2014
Nice book to read
April 5, 2014
Entertaining, very similar in theme
Many with WWII as a background element
Many with WWII as a background element
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews