Selected Short Stories

by Arthur Quiller-Couch

Genres: Fiction

Paperback

First published January 1, 1957

About the author

Sir Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch was a Cornish writer, who published under the pen name of Q. He is primarily remembered for the monumental "Oxford Book of English Verse 1250-1900" (later extended to 1918), and for his literary criticism. He guided the taste of many who never met him, including American writer Helene Hanff, author of 84 Charing Cross Road, its sequel, Q's Legacy, and the putatively fictional Horace Rumpole via John Mortimer, his literary amanuensis.

Reviews

[Don · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this book on the implied recommendation of Helene Hanff, who mentions her fondness for the writings of 'Q' in 84 Charing Cross Road. I'm glad I did.

The short stories in this collection were first published at various times between 1891 and 1917. Many of them refer to episodes of military conflict during the Napoleonic wars, and many of them refer to supernatural happenings of one kind of another. I found most of them very readable and not particularly 'dated' - some are very fresh - although I did reach for a dictionary at times, especially in passages that use Cornish vernacular - and some familiarity with Patrick O'Brian's novels helped with naval and military terminology.

I will happily read the best of the stories again. Indeed, I would read other collections by the same author, if I stumble across them under 'Q' in second hand bookshops - although I won't put special efforts into the search!

[Bill Borre]

The Two Householders is also printed in the Big Book of the Masters of Horror