Reading with Style discussion

Read a novel of interconnected stories or a short story collection whose stories are connected by recurring characters or setting.

Suggestions:

Listopia


after the quake
The Emigrants

If they are on the list, do we take it as being approvable, or do we take it with the usual caution of lists ?

looking at :
Krik? Krak!
A Visit from the Goon Squad
Love Medicine

if they flitter their way across from the various libraries around the State on time.

Amanda wrote: "If they are on the list, do we take it as being approvable, or do we take it with the usual caution of lists ?

looking at :
Krik? Krak!
A Visit from the Goon Squad
[bo..."

I am hesitant to say every book on the list qualifies, as they are crowd sourced and it's hard to know what may get added if I blink. :)

However, those three titles do work and I hope you are able to get your hands on at least one of them.

Kate S wrote: "I am hesitant to say every book on the list qualifies, as they are crowd sourced and it's hard to know what may get added if I blink. :)

However, those three titles do work and I hope you are able to get your hands on at least one of them. "

Thanks Kate. I am always hesitant over lists, but I figured that someone would have read at least a couple of them.

All 3 are ordered, and Goon Squad is definitely winging its way to me. My library only lists books from within its region on your account page, and the other two are being sourced from libraries in the country, a few hours away. I love that we can do that (they've even changed it so that my library card will work in almost any library in the State, so if I go on holiday there is no chance of running out of books!), but they don't show up on your account until they arrive for pick up.

It always surprises me what books aren't available locally, but can be found in more remote regional libraries ...

Is the over all theme of stories being told by request of a lover ala Arabian Nights enough?
The Stories of Eva Luna by Isabel Allende for instance?

itpdx wrote: "Is the over all theme of stories being told by request of a lover ala Arabian Nights enough?
The Stories of Eva Luna by Isabel Allende for instance?"

I am going to look at this one a little closer. My initial response is no, we intentionally left off 'theme' as it was too broad. I will have a final answer for you by the weekend. Sorry, I can't be more definitive tonight.

A classic Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson

How about after the quake?

I am wondering if The Emigrants works. Wikipedia calls it a collection of narratives about four different emigrants known to the narrator.

Coralie wrote: "How about after the quake?"

This sounds like a collection about a place in a specific time (after the earthquake in Kobe). I will take it.

Jama wrote: "I am wondering if The Emigrants works. Wikipedia calls it a collection of narratives about four different emigrants known to the narrator."

This one also looks fine.

DoesOur Mutual Friend work ? I've started the audiobook, and it seems to move between characters and have them intersecting, then drifting off again. Whilst my blurb says it is the story of one particular character, he is yet to feature very much, even though he seems to have already interacted with all of the other characters we have had greater fleshing out of.

Amanda wrote: "DoesOur Mutual Friend work ? I've started the audiobook, and it seems to move between characters and have them intersecting, then drifting off again. Whilst my blurb says it is the sto..."

No, that is definitely a novel, not interconnected stories.

Does Cloud Atlas fit here? It's at the top of the list, but I can't tell if it's really a novel.

Joanna, I've read Cloud Atlas, and the short stories are interconnected through the characters and themes. My review tells about how the stories are connected:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Does Thousand Cranes work ? My library has this listed as short stories, but the characters seem to be recurring throughout.

I read Thousand Cranes recently..it is a novel...not a collection of stories. but it is a gem...so definitely read it.

Joanna wrote: "Does Cloud Atlas fit here? It's at the top of the list, but I can't tell if it's really a novel."

I don't think it could be called short stories, but I don't know if I would term it a novel either.

The stories are all connected in that one will refer to the next one, or the previous one, in some way.

Must admit, I am finding interconnectedness hard to understand. Or, perhaps the what constitutes "a novel of interconnected stories".

Ed wrote: "I read Thousand Cranes recently..it is a novel...not a collection of stories. but it is a gem...so definitely read it."

Have already started it, Ed ;) Only to find I had another Yasunari Kawabata on the shelves at home. So now I am going to try to read both this season.

I wonder if they have shelved it as short stories as eat section has its own title ?

Amanda wrote: "Or, perhaps the what constitutes "a novel of interconnected stories". "

Think Olive Kitteridge. It is one of my favorites. Strout published many of the chapters as separate stories and then collected them to publish the novel. Alice Munro did the same thing with The Beggar Maid: Stories of Flo and Rose. These are two that come instantly to mind, but I'm sure there are others.

But please note that the task includes a collection of short stories that are connected by setting. If you were to find a collection where the stories are all in one Australian locale, for instance, come back and ask. It will likely fit this task.

Thousand Cranes looks like it fits Innocence, but wouldn't fit Interconnected.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Amanda wrote: "Or, perhaps the what constitutes "a novel of interconnected stories". "

Think Olive Kitteridge. It is one of my favorites. Strout published many of the chapters as se..."

Haven't read either of those, but I will wait and see with the ones I have had approved to see if that clears the fog any.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Thousand Cranes looks like it fits Innocence, but wouldn't fit Interconnected."

Yes, it fits Innocence, Christie and Maths, I was just wondering if there was another combo I could get ;)

Although, since my library had it designated as short stories, I think I may have added " Not A Novel ", which, according to Ed, would be incorrect.

I have found Ford County - short stories all set in Ford county. Is that enough for a setting connection?

I'm listening to it, and in true Grisham style I feel like I've read some of the stories before - I don't think I have though.

Eleanor wrote: "I have found Ford County - short stories all set in Ford county. Is that enough for a setting connection?

I'm listening to it, and in true Grisham style I feel like I've read some ..."

Yes, that works for this task.

What do you think about Infinite Jest? Does it fit as a novel of connected stories?

So just interconnected short stories don't work then right? I'm looking at My Man Jeeves but I'm not 100% clear on what counts and what doesn't.

If not, it fits for other tasks so I'm not too worried.

Joanna wrote: "What do you think about Infinite Jest? Does it fit as a novel of connected stories?"

I haven't read anything that leads me to believe this is true. It appears to be a novel, a post modern novel, but not an interconnected collection of stories making up a novel. If someone who has read this wants to chime in that would be great. In the meantime, no, this does not seem to work.

Sam wrote: "So just interconnected short stories don't work then right? I'm looking at My Man Jeeves but I'm not 100% clear on what counts and what doesn't.

If not, it fits for other tasks so I..."

My Man Jeeves is a series of short stories connected by characters. This will qualify.

I am wondering if I, Robot would work, as it was originally published as short stories, threaded together by a frame narrative?
If it does work, would it count as a novel, or could I claim not-a-novel for this?

This is a very interesting but very challenging task!

Would Great House work? It is a novel made up of short stories and centered on a particular desk.

Louise Bro wrote: "I am wondering if I, Robot would work, as it was originally published as short stories, threaded together by a frame narrative?
If it does work, would it count as a novel, or could I c..."

Yes, this works for this task and you will get the not a novel points.

Bea wrote: "Would Great House work? It is a novel made up of short stories and centered on a particular desk."

Yes, this works for this task, but counts as a novel, not short stories, so no not a novel points.

Thanks Kate!

I looked through the other posts but didn't see a definite answer: will Cloud Atlas work for this?

Yes, Cloud Atlas also works

For those books that are being qualified for this task and are not already listed on the Listopia, please feel free to add them. I would do it, but I'm running up against my 100-book maximum on a list.

Kate S wrote: "Joanna wrote: "What do you think about Infinite Jest? Does it fit as a novel of connected stories?"

I haven't read anything that leads me to believe this is true. It appears to be a no..."

I've read it...definitely not stories...a long, long novel.

Amanda wrote: "Joanna wrote: "Does Cloud Atlas fit here? It's at the top of the list, but I can't tell if it's really a novel."

I don't think it could be called short stories, but I don't know if I ..."

I would think this would work. There are connections with different times and characters but all related kind of like Love Medicine

Never mind,I answered this without reading all the way to see that Kate did and she is an official! (smile)

doesn't Blasphemy: New and Selected Stories work?
What about Given Ground?

Also are all the books on Listopia list vetted?
Or do you know if there are any that really don't work?
Which 100 did you add, Elizabeth?

Rebekah wrote: "doesn't Blasphemy: New and Selected Stories work?
What about Given Ground?"

Blasphemy does not work, but Given Ground does. I think there are some other Appalachia books on the Listopia - I remember adding at least one, although right this minute I don't recall the title.

"Also are all the books on Listopia list vetted?
Or do you know if there are any that really don't work?
Which 100 did you add, Elizabeth?"

At this moment in time, I think all of the titles work. But by the time you read this, there may be something new that we haven't looked at - it is a public list and anyone on Goodreads can add to it. You can always ask here about any title.

To tell which books on a Listopia were voted on by any specific member, go to the bottom of the list where there is a section "people who voted on this list." Click on the name next to an avatar to see the list of books voted on by that person. I have not read all that I added, but used the information available at GR to determine their appropriateness.

will Bracebridge Hall by Washington Irving work here?

Ed wrote: "will Bracebridge Hall by Washington Irving work here?"

Very nice, Ed. I had not heard of this and had to leaping around looking for a reasn to say yea or nay. From wikipedia:

As this is a location-based series of character sketches, there are a number of individual plots.

Yes, approved. We will be classifying it as Fiction, however, as neither BPL nor Worldcat have "short stories" in their listings, so no not a novel points.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Rebekah wrote: "doesn't Blasphemy: New and Selected Stories work?
What about Given Ground?"

Blasphemy does not work, but Given Ground does. I think there are some oth..."

Burning Bright: Stories was the other Appalachian book
What about A Sand County Almanac and Sketches Here and There
Pilgrim at Tinker Creek
Walden
Picnics at Walden Pond
Nights With Uncle Remus
Encounters with the Archdruid

Rebekah wrote: "Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Rebekah wrote: "doesn't Blasphemy: New and Selected Stories work?
What about Given Ground?"

Blasphemy does not work, but Given Ground does...."

Sorry, Rebekah, none of these work. We're looking for short stories - either in novel form or as a collection - and all of those are essays or other types of works classified as non-fiction.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Rebekah wrote: "Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "Rebekah wrote: "doesn't Blasphemy: New and Selected Stories work?
What about Given Ground?"

Blasphemy does not work, but Gi..."

Even the Uncle Remus tales?

Rebekah wrote: "Even the Uncle Remus tales?

That one is shelved 398 H31 N at BPL.

Not sure what that means but I'm guessing it means not acceptable?