A collection of stories written by other writers but because they were selected and introduced by Alan Maitland and I had enjoyed him on the radio for so long it attracted me to it. I often take it down in the summer and pick a story when I feel like reading something short.
Favourite summer stories from Front Porch Al Alan Maitland
The Slip Sheet on my hardcopy version covers all the tropes:
Wicker rocking chair with pillow Book beside glass of lemonade Antique cabinet radio Flowering shrubs Sleeping dog and cat on the railing Spindled railing Gingerbread Basket with gardening tools & gloves Bucolic background
The excerpts often have a rather dark tone. Take the conspiracy theorist inspired thoughts on radio waves from a man still adjusting to the idea of the telephone. My own father never used our telephone. If he wanted to talk to someone he got in his pickup and drove over to talk to them in person, face to face. What would this author think of communication from a satellite that has left our solar system; the blue tooth system that puts my tablet online, the signal that penetrates 12 inches of poured concrete to power my smartphone, pushing a button to open my garage door or my entrance door, the button that makes my bed recline, TV, wireless speakers, LED screens, turning on a TV with a remote. Radio signals that cause interference and static, microwave ovens. Magnetic induction stoves.
LM Montgomery supplies the second last excerpt in this collection. I had the Anne stories read to me as a child and am rereading them but her other works seem too gossipy for my taste. This story catches my attention.
In the days before enclosed arenas summer was synonymous with baseball. Home run specialists strike out a lot and so it was with mighty Casey.
Turns out I’m not a fan of this type of short story book. Some of the stories could be used for English literary essays for their metaphors etc and I’m not looking for that at this time.