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We Others: New and Selected Stories
“Every reader knows of writers who are like secrets one wants to keep, and whose books one wants to tell the world about. Millhauser is mine.�
—David Rollow, Boston Sunday Globe
From the Pulitzer Prize–winning the essential stories across three decades that showcase his indomitable imagination.
Steven Millhauser’s fiction has consistently, and to dazzling effect, dissolved the boundaries between reality and fantasy, waking life and dreams, the past and the future, darkness and light, love and lust. The stories gathered here unfurl in settings as disparate as nineteenth-century Vienna, a contemporary Connecticut town, the corridors of a monstrous museum, and Thomas Edison’s laboratory, and they are inhabited by a wide-ranging cast of characters, including a knife thrower and teenage boys, ghosts and a cartoon cat and mouse. But all of the stories are united in their unfailing power to surprise and enchant. From the earliest to the stunning, previously unpublished novella-length title story—in which a man who is dead, but not quite gone, reaches out to two lonely women—Millhauser in this magnificent collection carves out ever more deeply his wondrous place in the American literary canon.
—David Rollow, Boston Sunday Globe
From the Pulitzer Prize–winning the essential stories across three decades that showcase his indomitable imagination.
Steven Millhauser’s fiction has consistently, and to dazzling effect, dissolved the boundaries between reality and fantasy, waking life and dreams, the past and the future, darkness and light, love and lust. The stories gathered here unfurl in settings as disparate as nineteenth-century Vienna, a contemporary Connecticut town, the corridors of a monstrous museum, and Thomas Edison’s laboratory, and they are inhabited by a wide-ranging cast of characters, including a knife thrower and teenage boys, ghosts and a cartoon cat and mouse. But all of the stories are united in their unfailing power to surprise and enchant. From the earliest to the stunning, previously unpublished novella-length title story—in which a man who is dead, but not quite gone, reaches out to two lonely women—Millhauser in this magnificent collection carves out ever more deeply his wondrous place in the American literary canon.
387 pages, Hardcover
First published August 23, 2011
130 people are currently reading
2,489 people want to read
About the author
Steven Millhauser
59books459followersMillhauser was born in New York City, grew up in Connecticut, and earned a B.A. from Columbia University in 1965. He then pursued a doctorate in English at Brown University. He never completed his dissertation but wrote parts of Edwin Mullhouse and From the Realm of Morpheus in two separate stays at Brown. Between times at the university, he wrote Portrait of a Romantic at his parents' house in Connecticut. His story "The Invention of Robert Herendeen" (in The Barnum Museum) features a failed student who has moved back in with his parents; the story is loosely based on this period of Millhauser's life.
Until the Pulitzer Prize, Millhauser was best known for his 1972 debut novel, Edwin Mullhouse. This novel, about a precocious writer whose career ends abruptly with his death at age eleven, features the fictional Jeffrey Cartwright playing Boswell to Edwin's Johnson. Edwin Mullhouse brought critical acclaim, and Millhauser followed with a second novel, Portrait of a Romantic, in 1977, and his first collection of short stories, In The Penny Arcade, in 1986.
Possibly the most well-known of his short stories is "Eisenheim the Illusionist" (published in "The Barnum Museum"), based on a pseudo-mythical tale of a magician who stunned audiences in Vienna in the latter part of the 19th century. It was made into the film, The Illusionist (2006).
Millhauser's stories often treat fantasy themes in a manner reminiscent of Poe or Borges, with a distinctively American voice. As critic Russell Potter has noted, "in (Millhauser's stories), mechanical cowboys at penny arcades come to life; curious amusement parks, museums, or catacombs beckon with secret passageways and walking automata; dreamers dream and children fly out their windows at night on magic carpets."
Millhauser's collections of stories continued with The Barnum Museum (1990), Little Kingdoms (1993), and The Knife Thrower and Other Stories (1998). The unexpected success of Martin Dressler in 1997 brought Millhauser increased attention. Dangerous Laughter: Thirteen Stories made the New York Times Book Review list of "10 Best Books of 2008".
Millhauser lives in Saratoga Springs, New York and teaches at Skidmore College.
Until the Pulitzer Prize, Millhauser was best known for his 1972 debut novel, Edwin Mullhouse. This novel, about a precocious writer whose career ends abruptly with his death at age eleven, features the fictional Jeffrey Cartwright playing Boswell to Edwin's Johnson. Edwin Mullhouse brought critical acclaim, and Millhauser followed with a second novel, Portrait of a Romantic, in 1977, and his first collection of short stories, In The Penny Arcade, in 1986.
Possibly the most well-known of his short stories is "Eisenheim the Illusionist" (published in "The Barnum Museum"), based on a pseudo-mythical tale of a magician who stunned audiences in Vienna in the latter part of the 19th century. It was made into the film, The Illusionist (2006).
Millhauser's stories often treat fantasy themes in a manner reminiscent of Poe or Borges, with a distinctively American voice. As critic Russell Potter has noted, "in (Millhauser's stories), mechanical cowboys at penny arcades come to life; curious amusement parks, museums, or catacombs beckon with secret passageways and walking automata; dreamers dream and children fly out their windows at night on magic carpets."
Millhauser's collections of stories continued with The Barnum Museum (1990), Little Kingdoms (1993), and The Knife Thrower and Other Stories (1998). The unexpected success of Martin Dressler in 1997 brought Millhauser increased attention. Dangerous Laughter: Thirteen Stories made the New York Times Book Review list of "10 Best Books of 2008".
Millhauser lives in Saratoga Springs, New York and teaches at Skidmore College.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews
January 15, 2024
Some new stories, some re-reads, and as with most collections, there are highs and lows. However, I remain a sucker for Millhauser's approach to magical realism and think he shines best in shorter works versus his novellas
November 18, 2011
My first brush with Millhauser. He writes with such exquisite precision, I almost have the sense that he holds each phrase up to the light, turning it back and forth to look at it from all directions, then wielding it to refashion even the most mundane tale into something fanciful, thought-provoking, sympathetic, troubling. He makes us remember what it felt like to think profound thoughts when we were still too young to understand them fully. Then, through his mature eyes, he forces us to revisit our very adult feelings of confusion and puzzlement. He weaves fantasy and reality into such an intricate brocade that we must sometimes stop and look more closely at the weft to see where one thread ends and another begins. This collection of stories was the perfect introduction to his style and range; I'll be reading more.
August 1, 2017
Came back and upped this from 4 stars to 5 because I have never stopped thinking about it in all the months since I read it. At the time, I was a bit put off by the slowness, but in retrospect it had the effect of burning every image and moment deep into my brain.
Favorites:
"The Slap"
"The White Glove"
"The Next Thing"
"We Others"
"Eisenheim the Illusionist"
"Cat 'n' Mouse"
and especially
"The Wizard of West Orange"
What must the stones think of us?
Favorites:
"The Slap"
"The White Glove"
"The Next Thing"
"We Others"
"Eisenheim the Illusionist"
"Cat 'n' Mouse"
and especially
"The Wizard of West Orange"
What must the stones think of us?
June 10, 2015
Τον Μιλχάσουζερ τον άκουσα πρόσφατα, καθώς μόλις κυκλοφόρησε το καινούριο του βιβλίο, Voices in the Night:Stories. Έχει κερδίσει Πούλιτζερ, καταφέρνει όμως την ίδια στιγμή να είναι ένα κρυμμένο μυστικό, με τους πιστούς ακόλουθούς του να πίνουν νερό σε ένα πλήθος συγγραφικών δεξιοτήτων που τον ξεχωρίζουν από το πλήθος των κοινών συγγραφέων.
οιπόν;
Κατά αρχάς, και εν είδει προλόγου, είναι σύνηθες μια συλλογή να είναι ένα σύμφυρμα άνισα απολαυστικών ιστοριών � κάποιες καλές, άλλες μέτριες και από πίσω ένα πλήθος προσπαθειών του συγγραφέα να πει κάτι ή να ανακαλύψει νέους εκφραστικούς δρόμους, που καλύτερα θα ήταν να είχαν μείνει στο συρτάρι του, αλλά τελικά τσουβαλιάστηκαν κι αυτές παρέα για να βασανίζουν τον αναγνώστη - ένα άνισο βιβλίο, φυσικά. Όταν, όμως, η συλλογή δεν χωλαίνει από τα παραπάνω, όταν έχει συνοχή και αρμόνια τότε, πέρα από την αναγνωστική τέρψη γίνεται το έξης: η συλλογή είναι ένα μέσο για τον αναγνώστη να δει τις εμμονές του συγγραφέα. Τι τον καθοδηγεί, ποιες συνισταμένες ορίζουν το συγγραφικό του όραμα. Ποια είναι η μούσα του.
Κι αυτό η συλλογή, που εκδόθηκε για πρώτη φορά το 2011, εξυπηρετεί μια πρώτης τάξεως γνωριμία με τον συγγραφέα. Και αποτελεί ένα καταπληκτικό βιβλίο. Για κάποιους, όπως εγώ, θα είναι και μια αποκάλυψη.
Διαβάζοντας κανείς αυτές τις ιστορίες δεν μπορεί παρά να προσέξει αυτή την τόσο ιδιαίτερη φωνή που χρησιμοποιεί ο Μιλχάουζεν συχνά: η φωνή του πλήθους, της ομάδας, του συνόλου. Της κοινότητας. Η οποία εκφράζει το διαφορετικό να εισβάλλει στην ρουτίνα της, που συνήθως θα είναι κάτι αλλόκοτο, παράξενο, ίσως ανεξήγητο. Όπως στην πρώτη ιστορία, όπου η φιλήσυχη μικρή πόλη ταράζεται από τον άγνωστο που χαστουκίζει ανύποπτα θύματα, δίχως διακρίσεις, ως πράξη ενός συνεχώς μεταβαλλόμενου κλιμακούμενου πλάνου που η κοινότητα προσπαθεί να ερμηνεύσει - ή τον λόγο της μουδιασμένης πλειοψηφίας μιας πόλης που βιώνει την δημιουργία ενός τεράστιου πολυχώρου, ο οποίος προσφέροντας τα πάντα, παίρνει τελικά τα πάντα από τις ζωές των ατυχών πολιτών που καταλήγουν σκλάβοι στα έγκατα της γης.
Ο Μιλχάουζεν έχει φαντασία. Μια φαντασία πρωτόγνωρης, λυρικής, ήρεμης πάντα αφήγησης. Όπου και το πιο καθημερινό είναι ικανό να παράγει ανείπωτη φαντασία, όπως στην μικρή επαρχιακή πόλη, που ο πρωταγωνιστής με τους φίλους βγαίνουν κάθε μέρα στους δρόμους για να δουν το χιόνι να δίνει μορφή σε φανταστικά πλάσματα από χιόνι, όμορφα, κρυστάλλινα μα και απόμακρα. Σαν κάποια άλλη πραγματικότητα να κάνει αισθητή την παρουσία της διακριτικά στην επικράτεια του χιονιού, εώς ότου αυτό να λιώσει κι όλα να γίνουν όπως πριν. Είναι κι εκείνη η ιστορία του Μουσείου, όπου αλλόκοτα, όμορφα μα ενοχλητικά καμιά φορά πράγματα συμβαίνουν εκεί μέσα. Οι κάτοικοι της πόλης, μικροί και μεγάλοι, το επισκέπτονται καθημερινά, είναι στοιχείο της ζωής τους, μα που διχάζει, μα και που όλοι το έχουν ανάγκη. Δεν θέλουν να μάθουν τι κινεί τα μυστήριά του, τι ζει στις κατακόμβες, τι ελλοχεύει στις σκιές και μουγκρίζει, πώς γίνεται πόρτες να οδηγούν κάθε μέρα σε άλλα δωμάτια. Αν μάθουν δεν θα έχει αξία η καθημερινότητά τους. Έτσι έρχεται το “άλλο� απρόσκλητο�. Μα είναι φορές που αυτό ορμά μέσα από τις επιδιώξεις κάποιων ανθρώπων, που ευφυΐα και οι εμμονικές ανησυχίες τους τους οδηγούν σε ανεξερεύνητα μονοπάτια του ανθρώπινου νου. Όπως στην περίπτωση του μάγου του Αίζνεχαιμ, όπου μέσα από μια αφήγηση σαν χρονογράφημα, στο μεγάλο του νούμερο αφήνει τα εγκόσμια, ενώ το τρομαγμένο κοινό γίνεται μάρτυρας φαινομένων από την άλλη πλευρά της πραγματικότητας.
Νομίζω αυτό θέλει να πει μαζί με πολλά άλλα ο Μιλχάουζεν. Πως το φανταστικό είναι δίπλα μας, το έχουμε ανάγκη το αλλόκοτο, το απόκοσμο. Μα αυτού που θέλουμε κρύβει φοβερά, καμιά φορά επικίνδυνα πράματα.
Γράφει κι άλλα ωραία: για έναν νεαρό αριστοτέχνη των αυτόματων, ταγμένο στα δικά του οράματα και επιδιώξεις, μακριά από τις προσταγές της αγοράς και τον άβουλου κοινού που ζητά το εφήμερο και σαρκικό και χυδαίο. Τον ταχυδακτυλουργό που ξεπερνάει τα σύνορα του υλικού κόσμου, τις περιπέτειες του Σεβάχ σε μια τριφωνία ομοδιήγησης, ετεροδιήγησης και, ακαδημαικής ανάλυσης. Ο αναγνώστης θα διαβάσει την μαγευτική επιστημονική φαντασία της εισβολής μια άκακης εξωγήνιης ύπαρξης που αλλάζει μα τελικά αφήνει ίδια την καθημερινότητα της ανθρωπότητας. Θα διαβάσει και το ομώνυμο We Others, με την φωνή του αποπροσανατολισμένου νεκρού να μας μεταφέρει στην θλιβερή, νυχτερινή ζωή των πλάνητων φαντασμάτων � οι επικίνδυνες, απεγνωσμένες υπάρξεις, αποζητούν και την ίδια στιγμή αποστρέφονται εμάς τους ζωντανούς γιατί έχουμε αυτό που εκείνες έχουν χάσει για πάντα. Κι όλα αυτά τα γράφει με ξεχωριστή τεχνική, εξοργιστική εκφραστική ευελιξία και συγγραφική μαεστρία. Ταιριάζει ένα μεγάλο οπλοστάσιο αφηγηματικών τεχνικών με ένα ευρύ γνωστικό εύρος, μια πένα εξασκημένη όσο λίγων σύγχρονών του με την λαχτάρα του αγνού παραμυθά. Πάνω από όλα, θέλει να αφηγηθεί. Ορμάται από αυτή την ανάγκη να πει κάτι όμορφο, να το ακούσει ο κόσμος, να το διαβάσει και να μαγευτεί.
Κοντολογίς, δηλώνω μαγεμένος, υποταγμένος στα συγγραφικά θέλγητρα του Μιλχάουζεν, στο ονειρικό που παντρεύεται με το καθημερινό, στην όμορφη γλώσσα το, στην ικανότητά του να με εκπλήσσει με κάθε του ιστορία μα και να ικανοποιεί πάντα την ανάγκη μου για καλή λογοτεχνία. Και είναι τόσο καλή η ξεχωριστή λογοτεχνία του Μιλχάουζεν.
Εγώ ανακάλυψα έναν καινούριο, αγαπημένο συγγραφέα.
οιπόν;
Κατά αρχάς, και εν είδει προλόγου, είναι σύνηθες μια συλλογή να είναι ένα σύμφυρμα άνισα απολαυστικών ιστοριών � κάποιες καλές, άλλες μέτριες και από πίσω ένα πλήθος προσπαθειών του συγγραφέα να πει κάτι ή να ανακαλύψει νέους εκφραστικούς δρόμους, που καλύτερα θα ήταν να είχαν μείνει στο συρτάρι του, αλλά τελικά τσουβαλιάστηκαν κι αυτές παρέα για να βασανίζουν τον αναγνώστη - ένα άνισο βιβλίο, φυσικά. Όταν, όμως, η συλλογή δεν χωλαίνει από τα παραπάνω, όταν έχει συνοχή και αρμόνια τότε, πέρα από την αναγνωστική τέρψη γίνεται το έξης: η συλλογή είναι ένα μέσο για τον αναγνώστη να δει τις εμμονές του συγγραφέα. Τι τον καθοδηγεί, ποιες συνισταμένες ορίζουν το συγγραφικό του όραμα. Ποια είναι η μούσα του.
Κι αυτό η συλλογή, που εκδόθηκε για πρώτη φορά το 2011, εξυπηρετεί μια πρώτης τάξεως γνωριμία με τον συγγραφέα. Και αποτελεί ένα καταπληκτικό βιβλίο. Για κάποιους, όπως εγώ, θα είναι και μια αποκάλυψη.
Διαβάζοντας κανείς αυτές τις ιστορίες δεν μπορεί παρά να προσέξει αυτή την τόσο ιδιαίτερη φωνή που χρησιμοποιεί ο Μιλχάουζεν συχνά: η φωνή του πλήθους, της ομάδας, του συνόλου. Της κοινότητας. Η οποία εκφράζει το διαφορετικό να εισβάλλει στην ρουτίνα της, που συνήθως θα είναι κάτι αλλόκοτο, παράξενο, ίσως ανεξήγητο. Όπως στην πρώτη ιστορία, όπου η φιλήσυχη μικρή πόλη ταράζεται από τον άγνωστο που χαστουκίζει ανύποπτα θύματα, δίχως διακρίσεις, ως πράξη ενός συνεχώς μεταβαλλόμενου κλιμακούμενου πλάνου που η κοινότητα προσπαθεί να ερμηνεύσει - ή τον λόγο της μουδιασμένης πλειοψηφίας μιας πόλης που βιώνει την δημιουργία ενός τεράστιου πολυχώρου, ο οποίος προσφέροντας τα πάντα, παίρνει τελικά τα πάντα από τις ζωές των ατυχών πολιτών που καταλήγουν σκλάβοι στα έγκατα της γης.
Ο Μιλχάουζεν έχει φαντασία. Μια φαντασία πρωτόγνωρης, λυρικής, ήρεμης πάντα αφήγησης. Όπου και το πιο καθημερινό είναι ικανό να παράγει ανείπωτη φαντασία, όπως στην μικρή επαρχιακή πόλη, που ο πρωταγωνιστής με τους φίλους βγαίνουν κάθε μέρα στους δρόμους για να δουν το χιόνι να δίνει μορφή σε φανταστικά πλάσματα από χιόνι, όμορφα, κρυστάλλινα μα και απόμακρα. Σαν κάποια άλλη πραγματικότητα να κάνει αισθητή την παρουσία της διακριτικά στην επικράτεια του χιονιού, εώς ότου αυτό να λιώσει κι όλα να γίνουν όπως πριν. Είναι κι εκείνη η ιστορία του Μουσείου, όπου αλλόκοτα, όμορφα μα ενοχλητικά καμιά φορά πράγματα συμβαίνουν εκεί μέσα. Οι κάτοικοι της πόλης, μικροί και μεγάλοι, το επισκέπτονται καθημερινά, είναι στοιχείο της ζωής τους, μα που διχάζει, μα και που όλοι το έχουν ανάγκη. Δεν θέλουν να μάθουν τι κινεί τα μυστήριά του, τι ζει στις κατακόμβες, τι ελλοχεύει στις σκιές και μουγκρίζει, πώς γίνεται πόρτες να οδηγούν κάθε μέρα σε άλλα δωμάτια. Αν μάθουν δεν θα έχει αξία η καθημερινότητά τους. Έτσι έρχεται το “άλλο� απρόσκλητο�. Μα είναι φορές που αυτό ορμά μέσα από τις επιδιώξεις κάποιων ανθρώπων, που ευφυΐα και οι εμμονικές ανησυχίες τους τους οδηγούν σε ανεξερεύνητα μονοπάτια του ανθρώπινου νου. Όπως στην περίπτωση του μάγου του Αίζνεχαιμ, όπου μέσα από μια αφήγηση σαν χρονογράφημα, στο μεγάλο του νούμερο αφήνει τα εγκόσμια, ενώ το τρομαγμένο κοινό γίνεται μάρτυρας φαινομένων από την άλλη πλευρά της πραγματικότητας.
Νομίζω αυτό θέλει να πει μαζί με πολλά άλλα ο Μιλχάουζεν. Πως το φανταστικό είναι δίπλα μας, το έχουμε ανάγκη το αλλόκοτο, το απόκοσμο. Μα αυτού που θέλουμε κρύβει φοβερά, καμιά φορά επικίνδυνα πράματα.
Γράφει κι άλλα ωραία: για έναν νεαρό αριστοτέχνη των αυτόματων, ταγμένο στα δικά του οράματα και επιδιώξεις, μακριά από τις προσταγές της αγοράς και τον άβουλου κοινού που ζητά το εφήμερο και σαρκικό και χυδαίο. Τον ταχυδακτυλουργό που ξεπερνάει τα σύνορα του υλικού κόσμου, τις περιπέτειες του Σεβάχ σε μια τριφωνία ομοδιήγησης, ετεροδιήγησης και, ακαδημαικής ανάλυσης. Ο αναγνώστης θα διαβάσει την μαγευτική επιστημονική φαντασία της εισβολής μια άκακης εξωγήνιης ύπαρξης που αλλάζει μα τελικά αφήνει ίδια την καθημερινότητα της ανθρωπότητας. Θα διαβάσει και το ομώνυμο We Others, με την φωνή του αποπροσανατολισμένου νεκρού να μας μεταφέρει στην θλιβερή, νυχτερινή ζωή των πλάνητων φαντασμάτων � οι επικίνδυνες, απεγνωσμένες υπάρξεις, αποζητούν και την ίδια στιγμή αποστρέφονται εμάς τους ζωντανούς γιατί έχουμε αυτό που εκείνες έχουν χάσει για πάντα. Κι όλα αυτά τα γράφει με ξεχωριστή τεχνική, εξοργιστική εκφραστική ευελιξία και συγγραφική μαεστρία. Ταιριάζει ένα μεγάλο οπλοστάσιο αφηγηματικών τεχνικών με ένα ευρύ γνωστικό εύρος, μια πένα εξασκημένη όσο λίγων σύγχρονών του με την λαχτάρα του αγνού παραμυθά. Πάνω από όλα, θέλει να αφηγηθεί. Ορμάται από αυτή την ανάγκη να πει κάτι όμορφο, να το ακούσει ο κόσμος, να το διαβάσει και να μαγευτεί.
Κοντολογίς, δηλώνω μαγεμένος, υποταγμένος στα συγγραφικά θέλγητρα του Μιλχάουζεν, στο ονειρικό που παντρεύεται με το καθημερινό, στην όμορφη γλώσσα το, στην ικανότητά του να με εκπλήσσει με κάθε του ιστορία μα και να ικανοποιεί πάντα την ανάγκη μου για καλή λογοτεχνία. Και είναι τόσο καλή η ξεχωριστή λογοτεχνία του Μιλχάουζεν.
Εγώ ανακάλυψα έναν καινούριο, αγαπημένο συγγραφέα.
March 10, 2012
Here's something I admire: Millhauser's singularity of purpose, thematically. He has a few basic obsessions - illusion v. reality, the way words distort or mask perception, and the ways our identities can be disturbed by an uncanny element within the everyday - and he explores them in a bunch of different ways. Also, his writing is extremely evocative on a sensory level. At his best, he is brilliant; at his worst, he is working towards something new, but not quite there yet.
So yes, there is some sense of repetition when you read this volume start to finish. But there are two exciting things there: first, it is possible for even a Pulitzer winner to just keep getting better ("The Slap" & "White Glove" & "Next Thing" are among the best he's done); second, he has staked out an individual territory, a Millhauser-land that nobody else really inhabits, and that I'll be excited to return to from now on.
So yes, there is some sense of repetition when you read this volume start to finish. But there are two exciting things there: first, it is possible for even a Pulitzer winner to just keep getting better ("The Slap" & "White Glove" & "Next Thing" are among the best he's done); second, he has staked out an individual territory, a Millhauser-land that nobody else really inhabits, and that I'll be excited to return to from now on.
May 8, 2012
This book started strong for me. I liked the stories and they seemed to have interweaving themes. But soon the themes seemed too much the same, like often Millhauser was telling the same story only changing the setting and elements. By the end of the book too many of the stories seemed to follow similar molds. Stories seem to start out with a fanciful idea: magician, snowmen, knife throwing, etc. The performance builds to the point of unrivaled extreme, then crashes. Many of the stories fit this pattern.
Other reoccurring themes:
Millhauser seems to like how humanity allows imitations to mimic the real thing, that we accept cheap substitutes as placeholders.
The unknown is a mystery. We can ponder endlessly the unknown because, well, we don’t know it. It is full of anything we want it to be.
Secrets are in all of us. Everyone has secrets. None of us are as we appear.
Why are some things more accepted in small doses, but not in big?
Here are some thoughts on the stories.
The Slap - 4 � Intriguing. The story never tells you what is it about, but it could be applied to so many things. Crime? Terrorism? Disease? Or is the point that many things in life don’t have a point? Life is chaotic.
The White Glove � 4.5 � Brilliant! Best of the book for me. Millhauser again builds up the interest in the unknown, and our obsession about it. What secret could the glove possibly be keeping? But all of us keep secrets inside ourselves, they are all around us. The ending is wonderfully frustrating.
Getting Closer � 3.5 - Autobiographical maybe? Millhauser’s eye for detail is great, was he the 9 year old trying to make a moment last forever?
The Invasion from Outer Space � 4 � Very short, but wonderful. An allegory that it is often not the big and dramatic that changes us, but the mundane that snows us in.
People of the Book � 3 � Not sure what I think about this story.
The Next Thing � 3.5 � Sorta like Orwell’s Animal Farm, only it is commercialism that takes over instead of communism.
We Others � 3.5 � Really liked it�..up to the end. Rich in detail and imagination. The story could have been about two people who were alive.
A Protest Against the Sun � 3.5 � Good family interaction. A lot to digest in only 10 pages. Themes of self security and women being women’s worst critics could have been developed more.
August Eschenburg � 4- Again disappointed by the conclusion of the story. I find it fascinating that there seem to be many stories about automatons. I have read at least two others that I remember. Deeply woven contrasts of the freedom of human choice, with the automatons forced routines. August seems to yearn for someone to decide the path of his life for him.
Snowmen � 4 � Very short, but good. Is it a comment on the fickleness of fashion? Or the escalation of weapons?
The Barnum Museum � 3.5 Again themes of the real verses the imitations of the real are present. Why is mankind drawn to the fanciful?
The Eighth Voyage of Sinbad � 2 � I did not connect with it. Building multiple, split narrations is daring and did not work for me.
Eisenheim the Illusionist � 3.5 � Again I was dissatisfied with the ending, but liked the rest of the story. The story follows Millhauser’s familiar pattern of building and building and upping the story to the point of conclusion.
The Knife Thrower � 2 � Again the pattern of building to something taken too far. Seems redundant.
The Visit � 4 � What is better, to remain single looking for the perfect spouse, or to be anchored with one who has flaws?
The Flying Carpet � 2 � Again I feel like this is the same story as Snowmen and others. Idea taken to extreme, idea fades and is forgotten.
Clair de Lune � 3.5 � The dream of an adolescent boy.
Cat ‘n� Mouise � 1 � Quit after a page and a half. Appears to be descriptions of Tom & Jerry cartoons
The Disappearance of Elaine Coleman � 2 � Seemed a lot like a mirror version of We Others.
History of Disturbance � 2 � Didn’t get it.
The Wizard of West Orange � 4 � I had read this one in 2008 in The Best American Short Stories. Very well worked. Makes me think why the sense of touch is so rarely capitalized on.
Other reoccurring themes:
Millhauser seems to like how humanity allows imitations to mimic the real thing, that we accept cheap substitutes as placeholders.
The unknown is a mystery. We can ponder endlessly the unknown because, well, we don’t know it. It is full of anything we want it to be.
Secrets are in all of us. Everyone has secrets. None of us are as we appear.
Why are some things more accepted in small doses, but not in big?
Here are some thoughts on the stories.
The Slap - 4 � Intriguing. The story never tells you what is it about, but it could be applied to so many things. Crime? Terrorism? Disease? Or is the point that many things in life don’t have a point? Life is chaotic.
The White Glove � 4.5 � Brilliant! Best of the book for me. Millhauser again builds up the interest in the unknown, and our obsession about it. What secret could the glove possibly be keeping? But all of us keep secrets inside ourselves, they are all around us. The ending is wonderfully frustrating.
Getting Closer � 3.5 - Autobiographical maybe? Millhauser’s eye for detail is great, was he the 9 year old trying to make a moment last forever?
The Invasion from Outer Space � 4 � Very short, but wonderful. An allegory that it is often not the big and dramatic that changes us, but the mundane that snows us in.
People of the Book � 3 � Not sure what I think about this story.
The Next Thing � 3.5 � Sorta like Orwell’s Animal Farm, only it is commercialism that takes over instead of communism.
We Others � 3.5 � Really liked it�..up to the end. Rich in detail and imagination. The story could have been about two people who were alive.
A Protest Against the Sun � 3.5 � Good family interaction. A lot to digest in only 10 pages. Themes of self security and women being women’s worst critics could have been developed more.
August Eschenburg � 4- Again disappointed by the conclusion of the story. I find it fascinating that there seem to be many stories about automatons. I have read at least two others that I remember. Deeply woven contrasts of the freedom of human choice, with the automatons forced routines. August seems to yearn for someone to decide the path of his life for him.
Snowmen � 4 � Very short, but good. Is it a comment on the fickleness of fashion? Or the escalation of weapons?
The Barnum Museum � 3.5 Again themes of the real verses the imitations of the real are present. Why is mankind drawn to the fanciful?
The Eighth Voyage of Sinbad � 2 � I did not connect with it. Building multiple, split narrations is daring and did not work for me.
Eisenheim the Illusionist � 3.5 � Again I was dissatisfied with the ending, but liked the rest of the story. The story follows Millhauser’s familiar pattern of building and building and upping the story to the point of conclusion.
The Knife Thrower � 2 � Again the pattern of building to something taken too far. Seems redundant.
The Visit � 4 � What is better, to remain single looking for the perfect spouse, or to be anchored with one who has flaws?
The Flying Carpet � 2 � Again I feel like this is the same story as Snowmen and others. Idea taken to extreme, idea fades and is forgotten.
Clair de Lune � 3.5 � The dream of an adolescent boy.
Cat ‘n� Mouise � 1 � Quit after a page and a half. Appears to be descriptions of Tom & Jerry cartoons
The Disappearance of Elaine Coleman � 2 � Seemed a lot like a mirror version of We Others.
History of Disturbance � 2 � Didn’t get it.
The Wizard of West Orange � 4 � I had read this one in 2008 in The Best American Short Stories. Very well worked. Makes me think why the sense of touch is so rarely capitalized on.
March 22, 2012
I never know what to expect when I read the short stories of an author for the first time. Will they have twist endings? Will they be bizarre? Will nothing happen?
Millhauser was a pleasant surprise. He writes with an imagined nostalgia, for things that never really existed, like magic carpets and intricately carved snow people. Some of the stories are more about the magic found in the mundane, like the time between when you get to the ocean and you first stick a toe in, and these were my favorite. The least interesting (to me) were those about people who DO magic, like magicians and wizards, and I ended up skimming those.
One of my favorites was "We Others," told from the perspective of a ghost. It starts like this:
"We others are not like you. We are more prickly, more jittery, more restless, more reckless, more secretive, more desperate, more cowardly, more bold. We live at the edges of ourselves, not in the middle places. We leave that to you. Did I say: more watchful? That above all. We watch you, we follow you, we spy on you, we obsess over you. We crave your attention. We hunger for a sign...."
Interested yet? ;)
Millhauser was a pleasant surprise. He writes with an imagined nostalgia, for things that never really existed, like magic carpets and intricately carved snow people. Some of the stories are more about the magic found in the mundane, like the time between when you get to the ocean and you first stick a toe in, and these were my favorite. The least interesting (to me) were those about people who DO magic, like magicians and wizards, and I ended up skimming those.
One of my favorites was "We Others," told from the perspective of a ghost. It starts like this:
"We others are not like you. We are more prickly, more jittery, more restless, more reckless, more secretive, more desperate, more cowardly, more bold. We live at the edges of ourselves, not in the middle places. We leave that to you. Did I say: more watchful? That above all. We watch you, we follow you, we spy on you, we obsess over you. We crave your attention. We hunger for a sign...."
Interested yet? ;)
October 4, 2022
بهترین کتابی بود که امسال خوندم. این کتاب اولین کتابی بود که از استیون میلهاوزر خوندم و مشتاقم کرد بقیه آثارش رو هم بخونم. ترجمه جواد همایونپو� هم خیلی خوب و روان و گویا بود.
دنبال کتاب «مارتین درسلر؛ داستان یک خیالپردا� آمریکایی» از همین نویسنده هستم که نشر مروارید منتشر کرده.
اگر کسی جایی دید بهم خبر بده ممنون میش�.
دنبال کتاب «مارتین درسلر؛ داستان یک خیالپردا� آمریکایی» از همین نویسنده هستم که نشر مروارید منتشر کرده.
اگر کسی جایی دید بهم خبر بده ممنون میش�.
March 2, 2012
I think this collection of stories would be best read a little at a time, over a long period of time—the themes and tone are all so similar. Starting out, I found the ideas fresh and interesting, but after about the fifth story (and there are 21), I was getting really annoyed at how similar everything sounded, and then I started skimming, which is too bad, because many of the stories are well-written and insightful. Here’s what I had to say about each story as I finished (you can see the deterioriation of my appreciation as I go along):
The Slap: What a curious little story. So far, so good...I think I'm going to like Millhauser. A story about the threats--known or unknown, real or imagined--that surround us. We want answers and are uneasy when we don’t find them. I can totally see this story turned into a 70s-style avant garde short film.
The White Glove: Millhauser doesn't like resolution in his stories, does he? Quasi-gothic, quiet tale.
Getting Closer: And tension...Millhauser loves to build the tension (with this story and the two previous)! Okay, I get what he's saying here about the anticipation being better than the realization (quite well done)...but all of this from a 9-year old kid? Didn't work as well for me.
Invasion From Outer Space: Not much to say about this short one; didn't love it. He continues to explore our need to both fit in and feel special, whatever the consequences. So-so.
People of the Book: Too simplistic for my tastes. Nothing to say about this one, other than "yes, books are sacred and magical, treat them well."
The Next Thing: Ever wonder what would happen if IKEA took over the world? Read this story to find out. Really liked the depiction of a super-store that appears to be benign (helpful, even) but then, once it has overtaken your life, it turns out to be "The Corporation" and not exactly the happy ending you thought it would be.
We Others: Another good story with a good pace where Millhauser gets to keep asking the questions: Why? Why me? (And of course, doesn't offer any answers.) Not a favorite, but liked the tension of wondering what will happen in the end.
A Protest Against the Sun: Blah. Not sure what this is a study of...mother/father/daughter dynamics? If so, then I wasn't interested. Nothing drew me in, not even the appearance of the sun protester.
August Eschenburg: Having recently seen the movie "Hugo," this story is now one of my favorites in this book...loved the references to automatons (especially the writing automaton). The interactions between characters seemed more real than in other stories. And the discussion of what it means to be a true artist was great.
Snowmen: Another blah one...but only because now I've read several of his stories that really highlight joy and anxiety occurring at the same time. At this point, it seems like yet another story with tension, and now it feels like it's getting old. Which is too bad, because there was some nice imagery of the snow sculptures changing from human form, to animal form, to intricate scenes, to fanciful creatures, to finally ephemeral things.
Barnum Museum: An okay story. I sometimes get the feeling of déjà vu when reading these Millhauser stories, because they seem to be so similar in theme or feeling. I do like how Millhauser uses “we� a lot, making the narrator a part of the community feeling or angst or mystery.
Eight Voyage of Sinbad: My love of fairy tales, as well as the literary references, helped me enjoy this one.
Eisenheim the Illusionist: I was interested in this story because I really liked the movie that is based on it…The Illusionist starring Edward Norton. Millhauser does a nice job with the fantastical and magical elements in his stories. Liked this one better than most.
The Knife Thrower: This is yet another Millhauser story where the narrator's community is feeling uncomfortable and unsettled. This repetition is starting to drive me crazy.
A Visit: I don't like frogs. Nothing to love about this story. I was hoping the fried would be introduced to a frog wife of his own.
Flying Carpets: So tired of the same themes where characters feel conflicting emotions. Now I'm really starting to skim instead of read.
Claire de Lune: Blah, blah, bl....hey, this one's a little better :-) Liked the “mystery� of what girls do when boys aren’t around (act like boys) and the tension of the first stirrings of adolescent feelings of love/like/sexual awakening. Not a great story, but better than most in this book.
Cat 'n' Mouse: Starting to skim…this is just a description of what happens in Tom and Jerry cartoons with some philosophical bent thrown in.
The Disappearance of Elaine Coleman: Seriously, this one starts out just like many of the others: “When X happened, we weren’t sure whether we were excited or disturbed.� Same tone. Same theme. Same story. Too bad, really liked this theme…a woman, so quiet and unprepossessing and unnoticed, that she literally disappears from life.
History of a Disturbance: The pace on this one was a bit better, but how can the narrator tell his story if he’s given up on words?
Wizard of West Orange: Totally skimmed this one, so didn’t even get a true sense of what happened. I just got so tired and gave up.
The Slap: What a curious little story. So far, so good...I think I'm going to like Millhauser. A story about the threats--known or unknown, real or imagined--that surround us. We want answers and are uneasy when we don’t find them. I can totally see this story turned into a 70s-style avant garde short film.
The White Glove: Millhauser doesn't like resolution in his stories, does he? Quasi-gothic, quiet tale.
Getting Closer: And tension...Millhauser loves to build the tension (with this story and the two previous)! Okay, I get what he's saying here about the anticipation being better than the realization (quite well done)...but all of this from a 9-year old kid? Didn't work as well for me.
Invasion From Outer Space: Not much to say about this short one; didn't love it. He continues to explore our need to both fit in and feel special, whatever the consequences. So-so.
People of the Book: Too simplistic for my tastes. Nothing to say about this one, other than "yes, books are sacred and magical, treat them well."
The Next Thing: Ever wonder what would happen if IKEA took over the world? Read this story to find out. Really liked the depiction of a super-store that appears to be benign (helpful, even) but then, once it has overtaken your life, it turns out to be "The Corporation" and not exactly the happy ending you thought it would be.
We Others: Another good story with a good pace where Millhauser gets to keep asking the questions: Why? Why me? (And of course, doesn't offer any answers.) Not a favorite, but liked the tension of wondering what will happen in the end.
A Protest Against the Sun: Blah. Not sure what this is a study of...mother/father/daughter dynamics? If so, then I wasn't interested. Nothing drew me in, not even the appearance of the sun protester.
August Eschenburg: Having recently seen the movie "Hugo," this story is now one of my favorites in this book...loved the references to automatons (especially the writing automaton). The interactions between characters seemed more real than in other stories. And the discussion of what it means to be a true artist was great.
Snowmen: Another blah one...but only because now I've read several of his stories that really highlight joy and anxiety occurring at the same time. At this point, it seems like yet another story with tension, and now it feels like it's getting old. Which is too bad, because there was some nice imagery of the snow sculptures changing from human form, to animal form, to intricate scenes, to fanciful creatures, to finally ephemeral things.
Barnum Museum: An okay story. I sometimes get the feeling of déjà vu when reading these Millhauser stories, because they seem to be so similar in theme or feeling. I do like how Millhauser uses “we� a lot, making the narrator a part of the community feeling or angst or mystery.
Eight Voyage of Sinbad: My love of fairy tales, as well as the literary references, helped me enjoy this one.
Eisenheim the Illusionist: I was interested in this story because I really liked the movie that is based on it…The Illusionist starring Edward Norton. Millhauser does a nice job with the fantastical and magical elements in his stories. Liked this one better than most.
The Knife Thrower: This is yet another Millhauser story where the narrator's community is feeling uncomfortable and unsettled. This repetition is starting to drive me crazy.
A Visit: I don't like frogs. Nothing to love about this story. I was hoping the fried would be introduced to a frog wife of his own.
Flying Carpets: So tired of the same themes where characters feel conflicting emotions. Now I'm really starting to skim instead of read.
Claire de Lune: Blah, blah, bl....hey, this one's a little better :-) Liked the “mystery� of what girls do when boys aren’t around (act like boys) and the tension of the first stirrings of adolescent feelings of love/like/sexual awakening. Not a great story, but better than most in this book.
Cat 'n' Mouse: Starting to skim…this is just a description of what happens in Tom and Jerry cartoons with some philosophical bent thrown in.
The Disappearance of Elaine Coleman: Seriously, this one starts out just like many of the others: “When X happened, we weren’t sure whether we were excited or disturbed.� Same tone. Same theme. Same story. Too bad, really liked this theme…a woman, so quiet and unprepossessing and unnoticed, that she literally disappears from life.
History of a Disturbance: The pace on this one was a bit better, but how can the narrator tell his story if he’s given up on words?
Wizard of West Orange: Totally skimmed this one, so didn’t even get a true sense of what happened. I just got so tired and gave up.
June 17, 2013
Wittgenstein says, in the Investigations: "What *we* do is return words from their metaphysical to their everyday use." You think through a lot of the words in that sentence before you think about the "we"; it is possible that, if limning of special genius must be provided, the special genius of Steven Millhauser is to think "we" first, and more powerfully, than any other writer that I've ever seen. In the new stories, there is the "we" of the communities witnessing "The Slap" or "The Invasion from Outer Space," which pick up on the kind of groupfeeling that we recognize from older stories like "The Knife Thrower," and then in the title novella, a masterpiece of thinking through the "we" in these old stories in relation to an "I". As one would either know or expect, the old stories are great too, and "Cat 'n' Mouse" remains in strong contention for my favorite story of all time.
March 3, 2012
A collection of short stories are so hard to rate, some you love, some you like, and some you don't as much. It almost seems pointless to give it a rating, especially just in the middle. So this rating says more about me than the work.
Taken as a whole these stories are hard to get through. Picking it up and reading one here and there is the way to go. But I do like to sink my teeth into a story, read it cover to cover, indulgently. I found that really hard in this collection.
The writing is wonderful, the way Millhauser builds suspense through the simplest string of words is amazing. Individually anyone of these stories are great, so pick it up when you have a spare 30 minutes and you will probably enjoy it immensely more than the whole.
Taken as a whole these stories are hard to get through. Picking it up and reading one here and there is the way to go. But I do like to sink my teeth into a story, read it cover to cover, indulgently. I found that really hard in this collection.
The writing is wonderful, the way Millhauser builds suspense through the simplest string of words is amazing. Individually anyone of these stories are great, so pick it up when you have a spare 30 minutes and you will probably enjoy it immensely more than the whole.
March 8, 2012
I'm not sure how I missed Millhauser. I feel like I should have heard of him or come across his work at some point in my life...and I'm kinda bummed I didn't because he's got tons of skill. This collection of old and new work was my introduction to Millhauser so I'm not too sure how it compares to his career, but this collection has some truly great stuff. The first story in the book (about a stranger who slaps random people) was absolutely stunning...worth reading just for the few paragraphs dissecting the craft of a slap alone. There were a few duds, but they were scattered throughout a bunch of winners.
February 11, 2014
I really enjoyed several of these, but have determined that consuming Millhauser's short stories in succession decreases my enjoyment of them, turning their reading increasingly into a chore. And this is a particularly extensive compilation.
March 17, 2024
Overall really enjoyed � Millhauser’s imagination is really wonderful, inventive in a way that reminded me of Ted Chiang’s science fiction, taking a skeptical yet fond eye to humanity in a way that reminded me of George Saunders. It was also interesting to read the stories from the span of his career all together, so you could see how his preoccupations recurred: artistic genius, limitations of perception, ignored people, our own middle class self delusions. At same time, reading them all together did create a certain sense of over familiarity by the end; maybe would’ve benefited from more diversity or fewer repeated themes (ex knife thrower and eisenheim the illusionist felt a little too similar, especially after so much time with August eschenburg, which was probably my favorite of the three. We others and Elaine Coleman also felt a little thematically similar)
Favorites: the slap, the next thing, August eschenburg, Clair de lune, cat n mouse
Also not a lot of women in these stories
Favorites: the slap, the next thing, August eschenburg, Clair de lune, cat n mouse
Also not a lot of women in these stories
October 11, 2021
Soo fun if you like a little taste of the fantastic but not too much! Theres a great one about an idyllic town that is terrorized by a mysterious man who just comes up to people, slaps em (really hard!) and then is just gone!
or another one about a guy who used who visits his long lost best friend from college when they were both big enviro guys,(our hero sold out, while his friend remained committed to the cause). As it turns out this friends ongoing commitment now includes a beautiful farm and a strange “marriage� to a humongous Frog! Friends, what can ya say, sometimes you grow apart.
Anyway they can sound kinda stupid, but i promise they're way kool. if you love borges , or Kelly Link, or Karen Russell, or George saunders, Milhauser is ur man! (I’ve heard these folks grouped under the label Fabulism which is maybe sorta pretentious but it has helped me find some really sick authors so who cares)
Also has a sweet cover
or another one about a guy who used who visits his long lost best friend from college when they were both big enviro guys,(our hero sold out, while his friend remained committed to the cause). As it turns out this friends ongoing commitment now includes a beautiful farm and a strange “marriage� to a humongous Frog! Friends, what can ya say, sometimes you grow apart.
Anyway they can sound kinda stupid, but i promise they're way kool. if you love borges , or Kelly Link, or Karen Russell, or George saunders, Milhauser is ur man! (I’ve heard these folks grouped under the label Fabulism which is maybe sorta pretentious but it has helped me find some really sick authors so who cares)
Also has a sweet cover
Want to read
July 28, 2022(paused at we others)
April 12, 2020
Lustreless and dull.
February 20, 2020
The 20th century American short story is a gem of a form. Call it formulaic, call it of a certain type, but the best short story writers are able to conjure up an entire feeling of a moment and time period in the space of ten pages. Certain writers like John Cheever or Raymond Carver have been sanctified for it, but then there are those who have been ruefully ignored. I think one example of one such writer is Steven Milhauser. While Millhauser has one the Pulitzer for his short novel Martin Dressler, I can think of few writers who can conjure up worlds as stylistically rich, or as atmospherically intense.
Take for example one of Millhauser’s first published stories, “August Eschenburg.� In some thirty pages, Millhauser conjures up 20th century Germany, and the workings of a street-side toy shop. The opening sentences reminded me of a walk through Strausbourg; a small peak into the Baroque architecture, the winsome feeling of magic and delight in the corners of description, and then the sense of mystery; what does it mean to make a toy come to life?
The story “A Protest Against the Sun� is a more traditional 20th century American short story. The narrator waits for her parents and later gets into a condescending interaction with a boy. In this story, Milhauser showcases the absurd and yet natural ways teenagers talk to their parents (how often and yet how un-often do random blimps get caught in conversation?), as well as the insecurities which define the ways teenagers feel (is this boy really making fun of them, or is it all in her head?) “A Protest Against the Sun is one of those typical stories in which nothing really happens, and yet one feels that one has incidentally been placed right into the center of life, and is observing life as it happens to unfold.
Millhauser’s early stories are what drew me to him. Other interesting stories from this period include “Eisenhelm the Illusionist� (his most famous story, which also became a movie), or “The Knife Thrower.� I do feel that the new stories in the collection are the weakest. From the short punctuating sentences of “The Slap� to the somewhat banal “Getting Closer,� Millhauser seemed to somehow get influenced by the contrived tensions of later Joyce Carol Oates, and not in a good way. I do think Millhauser’s later work shows more mastery of sentences, but less passion, and less intrigue, compared to his rawer writing from the 80s and 90s. Nonetheless, it is inevitable that not all writers improve with age, and I will continue to respect Millhauser nonetheless, for being a late 20th century short story stalwart, and for not getting the attention he deserves.
Take for example one of Millhauser’s first published stories, “August Eschenburg.� In some thirty pages, Millhauser conjures up 20th century Germany, and the workings of a street-side toy shop. The opening sentences reminded me of a walk through Strausbourg; a small peak into the Baroque architecture, the winsome feeling of magic and delight in the corners of description, and then the sense of mystery; what does it mean to make a toy come to life?
The story “A Protest Against the Sun� is a more traditional 20th century American short story. The narrator waits for her parents and later gets into a condescending interaction with a boy. In this story, Milhauser showcases the absurd and yet natural ways teenagers talk to their parents (how often and yet how un-often do random blimps get caught in conversation?), as well as the insecurities which define the ways teenagers feel (is this boy really making fun of them, or is it all in her head?) “A Protest Against the Sun is one of those typical stories in which nothing really happens, and yet one feels that one has incidentally been placed right into the center of life, and is observing life as it happens to unfold.
Millhauser’s early stories are what drew me to him. Other interesting stories from this period include “Eisenhelm the Illusionist� (his most famous story, which also became a movie), or “The Knife Thrower.� I do feel that the new stories in the collection are the weakest. From the short punctuating sentences of “The Slap� to the somewhat banal “Getting Closer,� Millhauser seemed to somehow get influenced by the contrived tensions of later Joyce Carol Oates, and not in a good way. I do think Millhauser’s later work shows more mastery of sentences, but less passion, and less intrigue, compared to his rawer writing from the 80s and 90s. Nonetheless, it is inevitable that not all writers improve with age, and I will continue to respect Millhauser nonetheless, for being a late 20th century short story stalwart, and for not getting the attention he deserves.
December 7, 2023
Something about Steven Millhauser’s work makes me think of Italo Calvino’s work. I can’t pinpoint it. Similar style, maybe—recounting a world that is OTHERworldly, in brisk, workman like style, but recounting the most unlikely scenes and occurrences. He sometimes uses first-person plural which can somehow heighten this response of mine—although he’s American, his work seems European to me and I have no idea what I mean when I say that. His themes are pretty consistent � the desire for organization taken to the nth degree where a hotel or department store or museum is created and continually revised to meet the wildest expectation, to create a world you never have to leave. But always that unfulfilled yearning for something � something more? But at times his protagonist gets what he wishes for but it’s not exactly as wonderful as he thought it would be—in fact, it creates a sense of danger, a sense that the experience will lead him to a previously unknown and unsuspected realm that is completely apart from “our world.�
His work is so inventive, so unexpected, but not in a Lewis Carroll way, not fantastical, but more a case of reality being stretched in a rather obsessive sort of way.
I’m struggling to explain his work without success. It’s offbeat and thought provoking. Maybe not for everyone but I know I’ll be reading more.
(Library)
His work is so inventive, so unexpected, but not in a Lewis Carroll way, not fantastical, but more a case of reality being stretched in a rather obsessive sort of way.
I’m struggling to explain his work without success. It’s offbeat and thought provoking. Maybe not for everyone but I know I’ll be reading more.
(Library)
January 12, 2012
I stole this opinion from my brother in law... and Fitzgerald, who said that most writers only have a few good ideas and they spend their careers dressing them up in different ways. Millhauser's stories fall immediately into one of several slots. With his least impressive writing ("Flying Carpets" and the eponymous novella in this collection) the slots feel overly comfortable. A rehashing. "We Others" should have been titled "Why Bother"? It was a total snooze. With his boldest stuff ("The History of an Incident," "The Slap," "August Eschenburg") he plays off of his plays off his comforts in surprising and profound ways. And let's be honest, even in his comfortable slots, he's brilliant.
I do think it's kind of stupid that he felt it necessary to release a "Greatest Hits." I would rather him have just followed up the amazing "Dangerous Laughter" with a new book of shorts. He left out a few good ones that have appeared lately (I remember a fantastic one in Harper's about a mermaid craze). He should have just included these, waiting a few months until he had something book-length, and published it. It would have been more rewarding to his fans, and no non-fans will likely discover Millhauser through We Others.
I do think it's kind of stupid that he felt it necessary to release a "Greatest Hits." I would rather him have just followed up the amazing "Dangerous Laughter" with a new book of shorts. He left out a few good ones that have appeared lately (I remember a fantastic one in Harper's about a mermaid craze). He should have just included these, waiting a few months until he had something book-length, and published it. It would have been more rewarding to his fans, and no non-fans will likely discover Millhauser through We Others.
July 15, 2020
My rating is closer to 3 1/2 stars but not close enough to go to 4. I cannot recall reading a collection of an author’s short stories where my likes and dislikes varied so widely over the collection. I quite liked The Next Thing, We Others, August Eschenberg, The Disappearance of Elaine Coleman, Clair de Lune. All 4+ stars. On the other end, People of the Book, Snowmen, A Visit, Flying Crapets get no more than 2 stars. I did find that, whether I liked a particular story or not, Millhauser’s writing pulled me in. I do think he overuses similes, some of which fall flat. He drops a lot of fantasy into everyday experiences and settings, which works wonderfully in some instances, in others it is strained. He drops back into childhood frequently, in particular the lasting impressions of strong adolescent experience - first attractions, family dynamics, walking through deserted suburbia late at night. I had not read Steven Millhauser prior to this and I consider the book a very good introduction.
November 3, 2014
Millhauser provides a wonderful collection of restrained storytelling just on the edge of fantasy. He manages to make a childhood trip to the lake, a slap, the ending of a relationship, and a random disappearance fantastical. He toys with things like touch and words, until they're morphed into something of magic and unfamiliarity.
Each story isn't overwhelmed with the fantastical, but it often shows up halfway through or after, and much of the time, it has to do with feelings, intuition. It was interesting to read Millhauser's stories in succession. You notice familiar elements: melancholy, a feeling of almost-discovery that soon fades, green glass Coke bottles, porch gliders, etc. Other magic is there all the way through, as if perfectly normal - flying carpets, tangible moonlight, living snowmen. Overall, it's a great collection, restrained, exemplary, subtle, but fantasy through and through.
Each story isn't overwhelmed with the fantastical, but it often shows up halfway through or after, and much of the time, it has to do with feelings, intuition. It was interesting to read Millhauser's stories in succession. You notice familiar elements: melancholy, a feeling of almost-discovery that soon fades, green glass Coke bottles, porch gliders, etc. Other magic is there all the way through, as if perfectly normal - flying carpets, tangible moonlight, living snowmen. Overall, it's a great collection, restrained, exemplary, subtle, but fantasy through and through.
July 26, 2016
This is an absolutely stunning collection of stories, especially "Tales of Darkness and The Unknown: Vol. XIV: The White Glove" (or more simply, "The White Glove.") It's not just the impressive, understated style but the underlying emotions and the beauty of what Steven Millhauser has to say.
"The White Glove" is a perfect example of Millhauser's wonderful writing and the story pulled me in right from the start:
"In senior year of high school I became friends with Emily Hohn. It happened quickly: one day she was that quiet girl in English class, the next we were friends. She passed in and out of my attention over the last year or so, and it was if I suddenly turned my head in her direction. I liked her calmness, her unruffled sense of herself, her way of standing as if she could feel the ground under her feet."
"The White Glove" is a perfect example of Millhauser's wonderful writing and the story pulled me in right from the start:
"In senior year of high school I became friends with Emily Hohn. It happened quickly: one day she was that quiet girl in English class, the next we were friends. She passed in and out of my attention over the last year or so, and it was if I suddenly turned my head in her direction. I liked her calmness, her unruffled sense of herself, her way of standing as if she could feel the ground under her feet."
February 20, 2017
There are a handful of stories in this collection that make you want to call up everyone you know and say, "You HAVE to read this." The first, "The Slap," was one of my favorites and is masterful. Some were strange and disorienting, similar to "Twilight Zone" episodes (or maybe like a fun-house mirror), where reality gets toyed with just a little bit. Others were arresting without being quite as far-fetched. All were intriguing.
December 13, 2020
I actually really enjoyed some of these stories. But this is a wildly uneven collection, with many stories that just fail to launch, that feel overwrought and overwritten, pretentious and pointless. Even the stories I liked (The Next Thing, We Others, August Eschenburg) have a tendency to start off very slowly before anything interesting happens and then they peter out again towards the end. With every story, I left thinking “What was the point?�
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October 6, 2015For me personally, this anthology was just too much of a great thing. Steven Millhauser is a god but I should not have forced myself to read all of these stories at once. He is a genius though, and I'll read him again once I've had time to detox.
March 7, 2012
This was hard to rate, I loved the writing, liked a lot of the stories but didn't like the book.
These stories were meant to be read individually and lost impact read one after another.
These stories were meant to be read individually and lost impact read one after another.
February 1, 2015
This story is perfect in what it tried to accomplish. It's always fascinating to see a feeling or thought you've had explained so accurately by another person. "You are not alone. I think this, too."
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March 21, 2024خیلی کتاب لذت بخشی بود. ترجمه خوبی داشت و داستانهاش ایده های نو و مفهومهای قابل توجهی داشتن. اگر داستان کوتاه دوست دارید پیشنهاد میکنم بخونید.
March 15, 2019
Clearly Millhauser is a talented writer, but for sheer enjoyability, I can't give this more than a 3. My favorite stories were The Next Thing, a dystopian tale that brings to mind Walmart and Amazon, and the Eight Voyage of Sinbad, which was descriptive and colorful and makes me want to read the Arabian Nights.
The way women were written into the stories was very uncomfortable; it was strange because although the women are almost always props and sex objects and are described in a gross, creepy way, Millhauser's characters sometimes seem to see that this is inappropriate and tacky and don't condone it. It was strange then, not to have any strong female characters (at least I don't remember any)- what was the point of writing them all in a way that paints them as brainless objects if you also seem to know it is wrong? In fact, there may be more literal female objects as characters than there are actual female characters- moving dolls with enormous breasts and buttocks, and imagined sensory sex dolls, for example. Actual female characters include the scantily clad knife-thrower's assistant, and two women who seemed to have sexual interest in the same ghost. So, uncomfortable read for anyone who thinks women are people. I'm sick of it.
Favorite passages:
August saw at once that these effects had been carefully planned by Preisendanz to attract a public easily stirred by two contradictory impulses: love of a vague, mythical, heroic past, and love of a vague, thrilling future representing something entirely new. Both loves betrayed a secret hatred of the present which August felt was the unspoken truth of the new order. (August Eschenburg, p174)
Then I repented of bringing destruction on myself by leaving my home and my friends and relations to seek adventures in strange lands; and as I looked about, presently I caught sight of a ring of iron lying in the mud and seaweed of the ocean floor. And lifting the ring, which was attached to a heavy stone, I saw a stairway going down, whereat I marveled exceedingly. (The Eighth Voyage of Sinbad, p239)
The way women were written into the stories was very uncomfortable; it was strange because although the women are almost always props and sex objects and are described in a gross, creepy way, Millhauser's characters sometimes seem to see that this is inappropriate and tacky and don't condone it. It was strange then, not to have any strong female characters (at least I don't remember any)- what was the point of writing them all in a way that paints them as brainless objects if you also seem to know it is wrong? In fact, there may be more literal female objects as characters than there are actual female characters- moving dolls with enormous breasts and buttocks, and imagined sensory sex dolls, for example. Actual female characters include the scantily clad knife-thrower's assistant, and two women who seemed to have sexual interest in the same ghost. So, uncomfortable read for anyone who thinks women are people. I'm sick of it.
Favorite passages:
August saw at once that these effects had been carefully planned by Preisendanz to attract a public easily stirred by two contradictory impulses: love of a vague, mythical, heroic past, and love of a vague, thrilling future representing something entirely new. Both loves betrayed a secret hatred of the present which August felt was the unspoken truth of the new order. (August Eschenburg, p174)
Then I repented of bringing destruction on myself by leaving my home and my friends and relations to seek adventures in strange lands; and as I looked about, presently I caught sight of a ring of iron lying in the mud and seaweed of the ocean floor. And lifting the ring, which was attached to a heavy stone, I saw a stairway going down, whereat I marveled exceedingly. (The Eighth Voyage of Sinbad, p239)
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