Three Players of a Summer Game and Other Stories

by Tennessee Williams

Back of the book Tennessee Williams, author of "A Streetcar Named Desire", "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof", and other plays, has now written a collection of stories, his first ever to be published in England. It shows every facet of this author's remarkable talent-his capacity to shock, his tenderness, and his uncanny ability to get under the skins of abnormal people

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction

191 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1960

About the author

Thomas Lanier Williams III, better known by the nickname Tennessee Williams, was a major American playwright of the twentieth century who received many of the top theatrical awards for his work. He moved to New Orleans in 1939 and changed his name to "Tennessee," the state of his father's birth.

Raised in St. Louis, Missouri, after years of obscurity, at age 33 he became famous with the success of The Glass Menagerie (1944) in New York City. This play closely reflected his own unhappy family background. It was the first of a string of successes, including A Streetcar Named Desire (1947), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1955), Sweet Bird of Youth (1959), and The Night of the Iguana (1961). With his later work, he attempted a new style that did not appeal to audiences. His drama A Streetcar Named Desire is often numbered on short lists of the finest American plays of the 20th century, alongside Eugene O'Neill's Long Day's Journey into Night and Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman.

Much of Williams' most acclaimed work has been adapted for the cinema. He also wrote short stories, poetry, essays and a volume of memoirs. In 1979, four years before his death, Williams was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame.

From Wikipedia

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three Players of a Summer Game is the story of the characters in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, years later. Through the narration of what appears to be a young teenage boy, we see an older aged Brick Pollit, his wife Margaret, and two new characters, Isabel Grey and her daughter Mary Louise. Players of a Summer game refers to croquet, and the lawn becomes the stage. This story might appeal on its own, but for me, and for those acquainted to Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, it answers the question: What might have happened to Britt Pollick? Who did he, did they become? I loved it. Tennessee Williams is a beautiful writer, and he can weave images and dialogue in a way that's timeless. Bravo. I will miss this class, and I truly hope there will be a part two - to enjoy more of his plays once again.

[Eve · Rating 2 out of 5]

Uneven - that's how I would characterize Tennessee Williams' Three Players of a Summer Game. This is an anthology of 12 short stories compiled in 1960, consisting of works written from 1945 through 1954. Two of the stories, "Portrait of a Girl in Glass," and "Night of the Iguana" later became plays, both of which I saw, and liked. Both made a successful transition into compelling works. For me, there was one other story, "The resemblance Between a Violin Case and a Coffin," that held my interest. The remaining 9 stories - not so much. I was put off by the lack of paragraphing and quotation marks, and the free-form stream of consciousness (at times) style. Williams did have a gift for vivid descriptions, though they often went on too long, but the overall effect was hampered by the thin premises of some of the stories, and the meandering story lines. In short, he was a much better playwright than short story writer. In sum, a bit of a disappointment.

[N Young · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of human suffering in one compilation. The main story is about an alcoholic, Brick Pollitt, who tries to regain his self-respect with the help of his mistress, his doctor's widow. Sometimes he's sober, sometimes drunk. Sometimes he's unfair to his mistress and his daughter, sometimes he's perfectly charming. By the end of the summer his wife drives his mistress from the town and shows everyone that she's in charge of him once more.

Also includes The Field of Blue Children, One Arm, Two on a Party, and The Night of the Iguana. Not one of these characters has an enjoyable life!

[Toby Dowling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this as AO4 for Cat, the Williams play I’m studying for A-Level. I thought this short story was okay - it certainly is the skeleton of William’s Broadway play about Brick and Maggie, but not much more. The characters are limited, suspense is not in abundance and the plot perhaps lacks depth. I’m glad I read this because it made me appreciate the final version of Cat on a Hot tin Roof so much more.

[Wayne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Close attention by me to catch the meaning of some of the themes of the stories. Well worth the effort.

[Sep A · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve never read anyone like Tennessee Williams. He was right by the kettle as it began to boil.

[Ibrahim Sheikh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read before I saw the play, cat on a hot tin roof (2025 London)

Made the arguments in the play make a lot more sense. When it clicked - that I could see the results of the plays actions unfold through this story - it stuck me with for a long time. Was it worth it? The bitterness and longing is something I’m still digesting.

[Wayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been reading these for an age now
not because I am not enjoying them,
but because my Reading Life is somewhat erratic.
eg.I have been reading the book backwards and only have the first three to go!!

I read an autobiography of TW some years ago
but recall zilch of it.
But suspected that some of these stories,
all written between the early 40's and 50's,
are heavily auobiographical.
Having just finished "Portrait of a Girl in Glass",
I suspected it might be a version of his play "The Glass Menagerie",
and found out a few minutes ago I was right.
Have yet to discover which came first.

The stories are peopled with outcasts, losers, gays, prostitutes, struggling adolescents,
- "abnormal people" says the blurb on this edition.
A bit UNkind and narrow.
Why not throw in a pope, priest, the police, the judiciary, politicians,
...and surely there is an exotic plumber somewhere out there!!!
I wonder how many American Mums and Dads would approve of their treasures
reading TW's fringe dwelling corruptors.
Call it a classic and you can sneak it under the most Methodist nose!!!

Strange how it took Homosexual Playwrights like Tennessee and Edward Albee
to educate and liberate their heterosexual oppressors from their repressed sex lives.
Guess it was fun to get them to look at themselves and admit they were even more
bizarre than the Untouchables they had created.

Sexuality, repression,loneliness and delusion are lightly treated
in these tales. There is salvation, humour and surrealism too.
I've been in search of some heavier tales, more bizarre, overt and depraved.
I know of the 1946 tale where the black masseur cracks the bones,
pulps the flesh and eats his infatuated little officeworker customer!!
Oh Tennessee!!!
Outrageous from beginning to END!!!

[dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful use of language, exploring human suffering while showing a great love of humanity, great American artist

[Katya Kabakchieva · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

What a good little second-hand store find

The field of blue children was my favourite ♥︎