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I found a lot of neat stuff about writing, and reading, and science-fiction, and the reading and writing of sf, in Isaac Asimov's Gold: The Final Science Fiction Collection. I feel especially compelled to share this:

"You can... virtually eliminate the plot. You might simply have a series of vignettes...[or] tell a story that is designed merely to create a mood or evoke an emotion or illuminate a facet of the human condition."

Those are challenging. I think some of the literary short stories I've read and didn't 'get' are probably those. I'll have to look at them from that perspective next time. Then maybe I'll be able to review them better.

ooh, I've read stuff like that now that you mention it, and always came away feeling vaguely dissatisfied. Illuminating a facet of the human condition seems fair enough, but that mood and emotion stuff does rather sound like the literary equivalent of a canvas painted a uniform shade of yellow.

! :)
Yes I totally get what you're saying. OTOH, I just finished a short story collection, and I actually tested Asimov's perspective, and it Worked! I actually kinda liked some of the stories I *know* I wouldn't have if I'd gone in expecting something to actually Happen.

I think reading from the perspective of mood, illustration, etc would work better for short stories. I can't imagine a whole novel - a whole gallery of giant yellow canvases...

Ok, still thinking... a whole gallery of giant yellow canvases would certainly make an impact. Maybe your marvelous analogy doesn't extend that way... my bad....

Anyway, I'm thinking of this one novel by an author I've liked. I mean, I like her short stories and her non-fiction. But the novel may have been more like what Asimov describes. But I remember it clearly enough to know that I Don't want to try again to read it from that perspective. I'd be all "Enough Already!"

I discovered this neat function and thought you all might want to do it also. I was getting frustrated by trying to review audio books the were not listed as an edition under the title by GR. So when I found out that I (just as a member not as a librarian) could add a edition with all the appropriate info I did so, after a lot of encouragement by Cheryl. After I created the edition I had Cheryl (who is a librarian) combine my edition with the others. Check out ny first efforts below.

History Repeats
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13...

My Father the Cat
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13...

Keep Out
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13...

I'm so glad you're doing that. This way the narrator gets credit, and goodreads members have lots more accurate information about each title.

has lots of good stories, totally free.