Stories for a Contemplative Mood
595077
Ever Since she won Nobel prize for literature, I have wanted to read a Munro book and finally I got a chance. The stories remind me of Chekov. She writes in unhurried style with tight, measured language. Most of the stories are set in small towns of Ontario, and some like "Too Much Happiness" in 19th century Europe and Russia. And most of them explore interpersonal relationships of characters with the ending left to the imagination of reader, for example, "The Love of a Good Woman". Ideal book to read before bedtime or on a leisurely weekend afternoon. Most of the stories will put you in a thoughtful, reflective mood.
2184104
As in FLAUBERT'S PARROT, the stories in this collection are Barnes's speculations on what someone at the end of his (or her) life might think or do. In "The Things You Know" he presents a pair of rival widows who continue their friendship in spite of what they know and resent about each other. In "The Revival" Barnes speculates on the late-life thoughts of the accomplished novelist, but failed playwright, Ivan Turgenev. In "Vigilance" he slowly reveals the key to the deep remorse (rage?) of a curmudgeony gay man with a personal mission to suppress (or evict) coughers at concert recitals. The scenarios in these eleven stories are diverse, and the characters' dilemmas and their responses to those dilemmas are plausible. It is uncanny that Barnes (who presumably wrote these stories in his early and mid fifties) can project himself so easily forward into old age. Unlike some other reviewers, I don't find these reflections morbid. I find each of his aged characters to have some sort of enobling characteristic. Often, they seem to have an amazing ability to continue to negotiate with life, as when the wife in "Appetite" discovers that she can get some spark of life from her senile (Alzheimer stricken?) husband by reading to him from cook books, in spite of his failing mental abilities and his propensity to break out in obscene ramblings.

Perhaps my personal favorite in the collection is "Knowing French," which consists of putative correspondence to the author from Sylvia Winstanley, an inmate in an "old folkery." It would be easy to enjoy this story for its surface charm, the vanity of an old woman trying to impress a published author, who tosses off French phrases while misspelling simple English words. But the fact that this is one-sided communication gives their progression an eerie quality. It makes one wonder (in an existential sort of way), if our own understanding of our life is enough. Can a life's meaning be discerned by one person's version? The story concludes with two letters to the author from the old folkery's warden, in which he twice calls her "the life and soul of the party," a far cry from her self-perception as a misunderstood and under-appreciated trouble-maker. It is in touches and turns like this that make Barnes's stories so rich and worth reading (and re-reading).
2519215
Dear Life by Alice Munro, a collection of fourteen short stories, has themes which range from the past, memory, loss, winter, and death, used to describe a dark, lonely, and wanting side of life. The author interweaves each story to reflect and influence the others. Her characters experience the pain of similar and at the same time different existences. By depicting one salient meeting or interaction upon which the stories are built, the author creates unique people, lives, worlds.

In many of the stories there is a sense of looming or foreboding that gains the readers interest. She reveals intrinsic human struggles in various ways ranging from tone, setting, and characterization. The first line of each story isolates the subject matter and sends a message to the reader that uncertainty is the only guarantee in life. In Amundsen, for example, Munros first line is, On the bench outside the station I sat and waited. (31). The author follows up the unsettled tone in her introductions with bleak surroundings, including freezing Canadian winters, which further suggest isolation, desolation, and, immobility. Finally, characters who experience loneliness while in the presence of others or characters who experience loss of life, love, or friendship, solidify the overall message the author conveys.

As a reader, it is easy to absorb the beauty and mastery of her writing, despite its complexity, because it falls together so perfectly. Since Munro overlaps her tone, settings, and themes so elegantly, the stories and characters stand alone and combine to create a cohesive whole. In retrospect, a reader can see in Amundsen, the complexity of a young teacher who meets her first love. We empathize for the loss of the love, for example, as it relates to other experiences of loss in the text (Munro 31-67). Pieces of the literary puzzle combine, so that in the end, the reader develops several isolated ideas from single stories and more holistic themes included within the text.

This text focuses on dark subjects, and it still remains a positive reading experience, because the author, writing, and ideas are great. She writes of those experiences, good or bad, which alter a person. She shows that life always comes with a lesson, if one is reflective.
1821276
Good stories to distract and entertain.  Makes for a relaxing read after a tough day with excessive hype or disbelief.
1282060
The book contains sweet short stories. It is like your friend is sitting on your bed and talking about her romantic adventure. For a moment you forget about everything and think how life can be wonderful. Keep writing La'Resa Brunson!
1685227
A collection to treasure and pick up at will, when the mood strikes. The chapters in here touch almost every aspect of life -- from questions we ask ourselves in the deepest recesses of our mind to everyday issues and dealings. The author delves into the workings of the mind to the mechanics of relationships, always leaving the reader with thoughts to ponder over. I like the fact that there is no talking down, more a discussion on an equal footing! Chapters like 'who am I?' 'Am I really honest?' 'Can you forgive a fling?' Leave you questioning yourself!

Who should read? Well anyone with a soul, anyone who has unanswered questions about life, anyone who does not already have all the answers...anyone who does not have an elder sister or a good wise friend in life...
1904875
A really good mix of stories here, from funny to strange to tragic to thought provoking. "Buzz" particularly resonated with me. I love being able to sit down for a few minutes and get my fiction-fix with these stories. Check it out!
388747
These stories showcase a unique voice in Weird fiction.
They build quietly but with growing dread to a disturbing and unsettling climax. These are slow burn stories with a quiet punch. Landscapes and environments mirror the disturbed and broken minds of the wounded protagonists. The characters inhabit visually precise rooms and lives described in metaphorically rich and poetic prose. And birds fly through these fables like unhinged foreboding spirit guides. There are generally no graphic monsters or overt terrors here, but a sense of dread runs throughout and does not  disappoint. I believe this is the authors first collection. It is definitely worth a try if you enjoy subtle stories that stay with you for days after reading. These are fable like stories at home in the realm of psychological horror.
2219732
This collection by C Gerard Gobeil  is a fun book to read. The stories, instead of relying on graphic sex, violence or language relies instead on setting a mood. More often than not the mood is one of impending doom.

The book opens with " Full Moonshine " which happens to be my favorite. Retiring ATF agent Donald Kane comes upon what seems to be an abandoned moonshining operation. Kane soon learns that one must be vigilant about what creatures lurk in the shadows of a full moon.

" Drive - In Open Late " is the type of story that would be right at home on the old Twilight Zone series. Ron and Alice Curly driving down a dark and desolate highway late at night, find themselves, hungry tired and irritable. As they crest a rise in the road they spot a diner in the distance. As Ron pulls up to the drive up window and orders their burgers, Alice notices an old black hearse parked off to the side. Ron and Alice will soon learn two valuable lessons, Be careful what you wish for and beef doesn't always make the best burgers.

The final story in the collection is " The Walk " . We all know at some point we'll be called home and take our final walk down that beckoning tunnel. What we don't know is what color will that light be and what home will we go to.

These three stories were my favorites however, all the stories were well crafted and definitely worth reading.
4854607
These collection of stories really have a way of working into your brain and your heart.
182766
I would describe these stories as written daydreaming.  Interesting, with loads of imagination.  But, as I paused after each story to think them through, I did not find as much food for thought as I had hoped that the stories would generate.  Maybe just not the right time for me to have read these stories?  Maybe.  And I will reread several of them when I have more space in my mind and in my schedule.

I can imagine myself daydreaming, then copying/writing that daydream down into a journal.  But I wouldn't go through the trouble of doing that if I could not find a deeper meaning in my daydream--and feel the need to express that, too.  These stories seem somewhat like that, but without the deeper meaning.  Maybe I'm missing that which is written between the lines?  So, yes, I will definitely give these Aetherial Worlds stories a second read.  And I think it would be fun to discuss these stories in a group.

I give this compilation of stories a solid four star rating:  They held my interest, and definitely kept me turning pages.  The writing was smooth, but not quite lyrical. Wording was uncomplicated and easy to understand,  The stories were written logically.  They sometimes shocked me, sometimes amused me.  They were colorful and provided enough detail for me to picture the scenes in my mind's eye.
1856768
These wonderful stories will draw you in, make you laugh, and often make you think. The author has a keen sense of observation along with clever commentary that is very entertaining. Along with being an excellent author, he has a wonderful speaking voice that brings you into the moment in the most soothing way possible.
4531616
If you are in a mood for light and fun reading, this is it. There were colorful personalities, and anecdotal stories.
429129
I like the variety found in this collection, as it may require a bit of deep thought and reflection with one story, and then lighten you up with a smile-evoking tale the next, before getting spooky for the following one.  They are perfect for those 'in-between" times when you don't want to begin a new novel, but still want to be entertained with good reading.  Recommended.
582049
I read Hugh Ashton's Tales of Old Japanese in one sitting last night. As a fan of the films of Ozu Yasujinro, I have a fondness for stories about a certain generation of Japanese -- those who came out of World War II as adults and experienced the transition in Japanese society to its present peaceful, capitalized, industrialized iteration. Ashton, a 24-year-resident of Japan, knows this generation well and has crafted a novella-length collection of fictional stories inspired by his experience. Some of the stories are more plotted, some more snapshots, but all of them reflect in a thoughtful and stirring fashion the mixture of dignity, humanity, and quirkiness belonging not just to old Japanese, but to the elderly in general. I especially like "Haircuts," in which a 92-year-old man strikes up a friendship with a young divorcee working in a barbershop. I would have been happy for this story to go on a long time and add many layers of complexity.. Also on my list of favorites is "Mrs. Sakamoto's Grouse," in which a older lady becomes stubbornly and financially attached to a dying bird in a small zoo because it is similar to one on the label of a whiskey bottle. What might seem obvious -- older person aware of being near death becomes attached to an animal that is near death -- is done with humanity and subtlety. These two stories would be suitable for me to use in my role as a classroom teacher, as they have complexity, clarity, and interest and deal with universal themes.

All these stories are good. Hugh Ashton, with whom I am slightly acquainted, is mainly known for writing Sherlock Holmes stories -- but if he were to write more like this, I would definitely be pleased to buy it.
4377997
This book contains some great stories that really make you think about your own life events.  It is truly good for the soul to read these stories.
2518969
Fun reads, I rather enjoyed being able to escape the extra stress I have been under lately, and these stories were just what I needed. A great variety.