Captured Up Close: 20th Century Short-Short Stories

by D.C. Diamondopolous, Wanda Baker (Illustrator)

Embroiled in the sweeping changes of nearly a hundred years, the characters in Captured Up 20th Century Short-Short Stories reveal themselves in transitional and catastrophic times from "1912" to "1992." In the first story, a gender-bending vaudevillian aboard the Titanic defies death in an astonishing twist. In the final story, two women of different races let go of the rift that's grown between them while trapped inside a dry-cleaning store during the L.A. riots. Spotlighted through a personal lens, regardless of race, gender, or age, the characters breathe life into the era they lived in. Many of the stories are award-winning, including two nominations for the Pushcart Prize and one for Best of the Net Anthology.

87 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 20, 2022

About the author

DC Diamondopolous is an award-winning short story, and flash fiction writer with hundreds of stories published internationally in print and online magazines, literary journals, and anthologies. DC's stories have appeared in: Penmen Review, Progenitor, 34th Parallel, So It Goes: The Literary Journal of the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library, Lunch Ticket, and others. DC was nominated twice in 2020 for the Pushcart Prize and in 2020 and 2017 for Sundress Publications’ Best of the Net. DC’s short story collection Stepping Up is published by Impspired. She lives on the California central coast with her wife and animals.

Reviews

[Steve Carr · Rating 5 out of 5]

DC Diamondopolus does an incredible thing in her Captured Up Close. She writes a complete novel that spans the years of 1912 to 1992 in the form of thirteen short short stories (Flash Fiction) where none of the stories are directly linked other than that they are stories bases on historical markers of the modern times. Each story from “Invitation to Life” to “L.A. Riots” packs a punch, either emotionally or to the conscience. The stories are populated with diverse characters, reflective of the time in which the story is about or with forward thinking individuals who foreshadow times to come. DC Diamondopolous is an immensely talented writer who entertains, informs, educates and inspires all at the same time with every story. This is a collection of short stories that should be in every reader's hands and on their book shelves.

[Michael Batchelor · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the description I didn’t expect this book to be as fascinating as it is.

There are very light brushing with LBGTQ issues, which I am not really familiar with - and which present some glimpses of insight to an elder straight white male, but not in an “in your face social justice warrior” way so much as rather a personal dialog of the human character. There is a woman’s rights issue story (1945); and a few social change issue stories (1920, 1932, 1946, 1957) that are quite riveting. Again, each with human connection.

Overall, this is a tremendous book, which I highly recommend. And a good commentary on 20th century US cultural development.

The short - short genera reminds me of the one page stories you will occasionally see in periodicals like “The Atlantic.” Each story is self contained, and fits nicely into a few minutes read. Basically a more thought provoking book than a “Farmers Almanac” for quick reads. I wouldn’t call it a bathroom reader, but that’s where it going in my house. If my houseguests don’t want to be pressed to think, they don’t need to come back.

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Required Reading

This collection of short stories should be required reading for all middle school students. One story per day that would be a perfect way to open up a dialogue about those that are labeled as “others” or “different” in our society. Not all types of people are discussed, but, this would still be a great place to start.

#GoodreadsGiveaway

[Lisa shultis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book shows little snippets of history. It shows the reader what life may have been like for a person living through the events in that particular moment in history. Quick reading, short little stories that speak quite a lot.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each short story was poignant and great read

[Melodye Carlock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Collection of 13 short fictional stories, taking place during prominent times in history - sinking of the Titanic, the stock market crash in 1929, 1992 riots in LA. Interesting read!

[DC Diamondopolous · Rating 5 out of 5]

I write historical fiction for modern readers.