I haven't read John Cheever's short stories yet, but I've certainly heard of him.
James Alan McPherson, on the other hand, was completely unknown to me before I picked up his 1978 Pulitzer Winner collection of short stories Elbow Room. I thought this was so good that I was suprised I had never heard of him.
His stories do take place in a pretty specific time period, so I'm curious if they seem dated to some people. I did not find them so. I agree with the blurb inside of the book:
(His) gift for characterization and his mastery of dialogue are evident...These twelve stories are alive with warmth and humor and explore the borderline between black and white society...each story is quick with life and charged with with McPherson's sensitive, amusing honesty.
Here are the opening lines of 3 of the stories:
No one will believe that I like country music.
It is not true that Billy Renfro was killed during that trouble in Houston. The man is an accomplished liar and likes to keep his enemies nervous.
It was one of those obscene situations, pedestrian to most people, but invested with meaning for a few poor folk whose lives are usually spent outside the imaginations of their fellow citizens.
He was the first African American to win the Pulitzer Prize. His other collection of short stories, Hue and Cry, does actually sound familiar. Hmmmm.
Also, while googling his name I discovered that a large number of Pulitzer winners have some association with the University of Iowa. That seems like a topic for another thread, though.
James Alan McPherson, on the other hand, was completely unknown to me before I picked up his 1978 Pulitzer Winner collection of short stories Elbow Room. I thought this was so good that I was suprised I had never heard of him.
His stories do take place in a pretty specific time period, so I'm curious if they seem dated to some people. I did not find them so. I agree with the blurb inside of the book:
(His) gift for characterization and his mastery of dialogue are evident...These twelve stories are alive with warmth and humor and explore the borderline between black and white society...each story is quick with life and charged with with McPherson's sensitive, amusing honesty.
Here are the opening lines of 3 of the stories:
No one will believe that I like country music.
It is not true that Billy Renfro was killed during that trouble in Houston. The man is an accomplished liar and likes to keep his enemies nervous.
It was one of those obscene situations, pedestrian to most people, but invested with meaning for a few poor folk whose lives are usually spent outside the imaginations of their fellow citizens.
He was the first African American to win the Pulitzer Prize. His other collection of short stories,
Hue and Cry, does actually sound familiar. Hmmmm.
Also, while googling his name I discovered that a large number of Pulitzer winners have some association with the University of Iowa. That seems like a topic for another thread, though.