Short Story Discussion - Thurs - May 1 - 6pm to 7:45pm - stories by John Cheever available online

[Alice Aman]

Hi everyone -

We will discuss two short stories by John Cheever titled THE SWIMMER
and THE ENORMOUS RADIO next Thursday, May 1st at 6pm-7:45pm, at the
Freed Montrose Library in the downstairs conference room. The short
stories are available for downloading from the web:

http://www.houstonbookclubs.org/stories/Cheever_TheSwimmer.pdf
http://www.houstonbookclubs.org/Montrose/cheever_EnormousRadio.pdf

Also, if anyone is thinking about taking over as organizer, please
let me know. I've had some new people asking whether the group will
continue. Would be nice to know sooner rather than later. Hope to
see you next week.

---Alice

==Upcoming Discussions=============

May 1- Alice
Two short stories by John Cheever.
1). THE SWIMMER (publ 1964) 12 pages
Available online at:
http://www.houstonbookclubs.org/stories/Cheever_TheSwimmer.pdf
The story is highly praised for its blend of realism and surrealism,
the thematic exploration of suburban America, especially the
relationship between wealth and happiness, as well as his use of myth
and symbolism.
2.) THE ENORMOUS RADIO [pub 1947] 6 pages
Available online at:
http://www.houstonbookclubs.org/Montrose/cheever_EnormousRadio.pdf
A Kafkaesque tale about a sinister radio that broadcasts the private
conversations of tenants in a New York apartment building.
--Alice Leading Discussion

June 5- Ruthie
LIGHT IN AUGUST by William Faulkner (publ 1932) 480 pages
In a loose, unstructured modernist narrative style that draws from
Christian allegory and oral storytelling, Faulkner explores themes of
race, sex, class and religion in the American South. By focusing on
characters that are misfits and outcasts, he portrays the clash of
alienated individuals against a Puritanical, prejudiced rural society.
Not as difficult to read as his later novels.
--Ruthie Leading Discussion

July 3 - Claudia
A GOOD SCENT FROM A STRANGE MOUNTAIN by Robert Olin Butler (publ 2001) 288 pages
1993 Pulitzer Prize Winner
With fifteen short stories, this book takes you into the ordeals about
being a Vietnamese transplant to the US, specifically to New Orleans,
The voices are young, old, and have a diverse background. The mix
brings alive and humanizes this often misunderstood period of our
nation's history.
--Claudia Leading Discussion