A Source of Irritation

by Stacy Aumonier

A famous short story

Unknown Binding

Reviews

[George Ilsley · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a field in Norfolk during The Great War, Sam Gates, age 69, is thinning turnips when his work is interrupted by a "noosance airyplane".

This short story, by a writer I had never heard of before, is plainly told in the style of a yarn, or a tall tale. There are bits of dialect rendered to convey the accent (as above) but not so much that the reader has to struggle.

First printed in a magazine in 1918, this story appears to have been intended to amuse and distract. Considering the horrors of World War I, in opening paragraphs we only hear of war difficulties such as being short-handed for farm work, and that "Mrs. Stevens' nephew had been and got wounded in the foot."

The fanciful nature of this tale must have been useful in keeping up morale. It still works for that purpose to this day.

[Maho · Rating 5 out of 5]

Offf,,, this story is—I love it (love at first sight ya). It’s the first time I’ve heard the author’s name walla but I’ll read more of his work insallah 👾

[Jay Rothermel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A stunning masterpiece of a short story set during the Great War. If this isn't the perfect short story, it'll do until the perfect one comes along.