If you are looking for a story with meaning
582426
The pace of the book is slow however it is not one of those stories that you breeze through. Several wonderful messages in this book, I thoroughly enjoyed the minor details that made this story.
4671212
You have already read plenty of reviews that tell you what the book is about so I'm not going to tell you what it's about. Instead, I'm going to say that this is a beautifully sad and magical story. If you try to interpret the story, try to sift through what may or may not be symbolism, you will get bogged down and frustrated, trying to find meaning in the story. Instead, just sit back, let the beauty of the story unfold over you like warm waves on a sunsoaked beach. Enjoy it for what it is, don't try to understand why it is. This is seriously one of the best books I've ever read and I rarely give a book 5 stars.
3488626
The Magician's Elephant is a story that probably hasn't found its way onto many book shelves inside homes yet.  It is a newer book, but that does not mean that it isn't a good read.  The Magician's Elephant is a book that is very versatile, it is a book that teachers can read to their students when teaching topics such as fables and metaphors, it can be read by parents who are looking for a book that is not just a story but a story that teaches principles about life, and it can even be appealing to children who want a book about mystery, finding answers, and fantasy.
Peter Augustus Duchene is the main character in this story.  He is a young boy in the city of Baltese living with his adopted father Vilna Lutz.  We are introduced to Peter as he enters Baltese with a question on his mind; "does my sister still live and if so how can I find her?"  When Peter enters the city and sees a fortune teller's he cannot pass by until his question is answered.  The fortune teller gives him an answer that is very unexpected, "An elephant will bring him there!"  A day later when an elephant falls through the roof of the opera house at the hand of a magician, Peter is given hope that the fortune teller was, in fact, right.  The elephant has just become the hope that Peter holds on to as he searches for his sister.
Hope is something that is hard to find, it evades us when we feel there is no hope left.  The thing that I loved about this book is that it is a metaphor for hope.  Often times in our lives we have questions that are sometimes followed by answers that don't make sense, but are followed by some sort of sign.  Sometimes these signs bring us hope.  This hope can come as suddenly and as noticeably as an elephant falling through a roof, but it can also come as a calm wave as we think about how things could be.
Books have many different purposes.  Some books are written for pure entertainment, others are read for educational purposes.  I believe that this book bridges the separation between educational and instructional.  I would recommend for this book for these reasons.  Read this book because you will be learning something through a very interesting story.
2469157
All the stories have to do with nature or the environment in some way. Some are set in the "now" and some in the future and deal with our relationship to it or how we coexist in it after its gone to rot. Not all stories are created equal as I preferred some over others but that may simply be a matter of preference.
752274
A great book that I've read repeatedly.  You know it always end the same way?  Anyway each time you read it you can take different meaning.  Meaning is in the head of the reader.  Kind of like a story that can be allegorical if you assign the deeper side.
2618792
Perseverance, struggle, religion, nature and love combine in a story that pulls you deeper and deeper in the more you read.  With amazing detail you are drawn in to a story that could only be true, yet the subject matter screams out fantasy.  Whether you read the story as an easy read adventure story or an allegory that tells of man's relationship with both God and nature, you can't help but enjoy this book.
1870019
I must re-read immediately, so I can capture the deeper meaning beneath the story. And what a story it is!
1402011
I love a good story, and especially a story that has a deeper purpose. Camus' novel is just that. The whole existence of the main character is a series of events that seem disjointed, but through the novel, you begin to see his life is one meaningless event after another one. We are invited to look at a man who has nothing but the experience of the moment. Nothing is meaningful, and nothing is meaningless, it just is. The sorrow and hollowness that come from this type of existence are palpable. In the end, Mersault becomes exactly what his life has been. A great book to read with other people and discuss.
1082945
Good short stories are not merely works of short fiction; their main purpose should be exploring ideas, particularly moving and thought-provoking ones, or they should have some twist or surprise at the end that leaves the reader with a powerful after image. Another mark of a good short story is that it makes us look at ordinary situations in a different way.
Some of the stories in `Dancing and Other Stories' do this and others don't. This is to be expected in a collection, but overall they were of a fine standard and one in particular was most memorable. I think it should have been the first in the book, not the second to last.

'The Return' is essentially a mystery. The return to a country town of a man, now famous, has a powerful effect on Brad. He remembers a childhood together with Michael, but why, we wonder, doesn't he want to see him? They were, after all, best friends. We realise that something terrible must have happened and finally the truth comes out. It's skilfully done and makes a powerful observation. The one who does the harm also suffers, at least if they feel guilt.

'Dryad' is another story worth a mention. It explores the depth of love someone could have for a tree.
It's hard to say what Mr Motivator is about without blowing the story, so I'll leave it at simply saying that it's both sad and amusing at the same time.

'Looking after Ben', is written from a dog's point of view, offering the reader a change of perspective.
All up, this is a book full of delightful pieces of fiction to fill those gaps in your life when you want a little entertainment, but not too long.

I received this book free of charge from the author in return for an honest review.
4240539
The Tale of the Unknown Island was a very short read but there were important points to be made in the story. In my opinion, this book had an underlying moral which said that what you are really looking for may be right in front of you. In the case of this book, the man who is searching for the island may not realize that he could find true satisfaction, and happiness with the cleaning woman who joins him on his journey. The tale also implied that you should always believe in a dream, nomatter what or who discourages you. The man in the story was persistent when he was preparing to search for the island and I believe that this was very significant. Even after I read this book, it kept me thinking about how you may not have to search very far for what you really are looking for. Sometimes the most important things that you need may be very close to you.
2205787
Great if you've been there, but if you are looking for a story you'll have to look a little further.
245469
This book is a modern day "fairy tale". It is rather short, but tells a meaningul story. I gave it 5 stars simply because it is unique for me. I think I might have seen a couple of editing errors, but not much.

I notice that a few reviewers had problems with the "weird writting style and no dialog".  I think the story is that way because it is written like a fairy tale, which I thought suited this story perfectly.
2858653
I have on my wall several reproductions of ancient Chinese scrolls that I bought years ago in Taiwan, and this story prompted me to look at them anew. It's set in what is now China but in a mythical era before recorded history.

There is a old sage living in a hut on a mountainside. There is a legend about the Fall of Man and a cryptic prophesy. There is a dragon (but a malevolent one, which is a departure from typical Chinese legends). Most importantly there is an orphaned boy who longs for acceptance, and who finds that his destiny involves something far more significant than just fitting in.

The telling is in keeping with the genre, by which I mean it's simple and direct. That called for an adjustment, as I came to this after reading several novels that were heavy on introspection and analysis, but I think the tone is just right for the subject. The telling certainly kept my interest all the way through.
1076087
This book will fulfill whatever it is you are looking for in a good reading. Whether you're looking for fiction, philosophy, religion, a parent reading to a child, or a great book for discussion, Life of Pi easily fulfills those categories. In a brilliant work of literature, Yann Martel tells the story of Pi and his journey across the Pacific Ocean on a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger. The story keeps you intrigued by telling of Pi's life growing up around a zoo, his three relgions, and his quest to stay alive, overcoming adversity on the Pacific. The reader finds out in the first pages (or on the back cover) that Pi does indeed survive the journey, but this book is about more than his survival story. The final pages of this book are guaranteed to make you spend a lot of time in thought, reflecting on what you have just read. Did you just read about a boy's struggle to stay alive with a tiger on a lifeboat, or did you just read a completely different story? That is the question that you will ask yourself when this book is finished. This book is recommended to any casual reader, because as stated in my opening sentence, at least one aspect of it will compel you, no matter what you are looking for in a book.
3098301
Coping with death is a collection of fictional stories written with the intent to make you smile, cry, and ponder as you read. This twelve-chapter book, blends in with the deaths that occurred in 2016 losing people like David Bowie, Leonard Cohen, Prince, Carries Fisher and more. The stories are written to bring out the sense of endlessness and to provide comfort. Each story is a standalone short segment of what surpasses to be covering themes that you would ultimately enjoy reading by the end of the chapter.

I felt that the book was providing a text under its subtext and attempting to deliver a more in-depth meaningful message by covering it up with comedy and realism. This may work for some and may not work for others. The comprehension and wordings used to describe the stories were sometimes too heavy to transcend. This is not to word anything against the book. It just means that not everyone would possibly get it.

The literary standard within the content of the short stories was in high standing. I appreciated the prologue explaining the reason why they had featured a dog on the cover. There is much more love and kindness in this book rather than death and dying. The setting of the stories is another feature that works in making this book different. They are all situated in various countries in the world.

I recommend this book to anyone that wishes to read about pop science fiction, fantasy, fiction and all other good things.

Written by Jeyran Main
380855
Anybody can read this book and understand the whole meaning of the story. It's very simple! Although the ending was not satisfying because they need more information about the father in the book.
4160411
Good to read because short stories are easily read and understood without much confusion. Characters in the story are few. I will recommend this to my friends