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#40 – Malgudi Days

Malgudi Days
R.K. Narayan
Short Stories
Read from 9/12/06 – 9/14/06
My grade: 6 

I realized while grading this that I totally bump all the grades up for effort. I think “well, I didn’t like it, but he clearly tried and/or is talented, so…” I think that’s okay, but it does explain why I tend to average a 7, not a 5.

I read these on Jhumpa Lahiri’s recommendation. While I didn’t like her novel, I thought her short story collection was good, so I figured she was a good source. Alas, blah. At first I was charmed by the Indian locale and unusual characters (all American short stories contain a disaffected youth – prove me wrong). So that part was nice. But over the collection (and thus, over his life) the stories got dimmer, sadder.

Overall, not memorable, but a worthwhile read. I won’t go back for more, but I’ve been trying to exercise my short story muscles lately, so it was fine.

#15 - Runaway

Runaway
Alice Munro
Short Stories
Read from 3/27 - 4/13
My grade: 6

All right-thinking people love Alice Munro's short stories. She is, without a doubt, a great writer. She picks up on subtle things that other writers ignore, and she's willing to write a whole story about something pretty minor, using some little event to showcase her ability to write about emotions. I always get the sense with her that she's writing about a real person, rather than creating a character (the difference between Sally was jealous and I think Sally would feel jealous at this point).

...But, I totally don't like her work. I mean, I get it, I appreciate all the right things about it, I agree with the blurb on the back that Munro is "one of literature's keenest investigator's into the human soul." On the other hand, there are two pretty serious deal-breakers for me:

1. Without exception that I can find, Munro's characters are completely passive. If there is a book out there with more sad helpless sadness, I don't want to know about it. Actual plot of one of the stories: Oh well, I lost my one chance at love/happiness when I was like 17, might as well mope until I die. Maybe I'll be a waitress. MY GOD! Go to Africa! Bake a cake! Get a haircut! Do something! I get the feeling this particular character would have death bed thoughts like, "Well, it wasn't so bad." And "I did what I could with the hand I was dealt." And we should admire her quiet nobility or something. Well, I don't.

2. How do you write 335 pages without one funny thing happening?

If I have to say, "Good book, but I won't read any more by this author" or, "Good book; I didn't like it," one more time, I'm going to scream.