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zlaza's review
4.0
4.5
'A Swim in a Pond in the Rain', written by George Saunders, contains seven short stories written by Russian authors Tolstoy, Chekhov, Turgenev and Gogol.
After each short story, Saunders offers his own breakdown and analysis using his own experience as a well-known author and professor.
He addresses the biggest lessons he took away from each short story, and discusses the craft of writing a short story.
It's a book about the art of storytelling:
How do you keep readers engaged in a story?
What about the story appeals to them? What makes the reading experience so satisfying?
I thoroughly enjoyed 'A Swim in a Pond in the Rain' and I'd recommended to all the readers and writers out there.
I also think it would be perfect for people who want to get into Russian literature but don't know where to begin.
'A Swim in a Pond in the Rain', written by George Saunders, contains seven short stories written by Russian authors Tolstoy, Chekhov, Turgenev and Gogol.
After each short story, Saunders offers his own breakdown and analysis using his own experience as a well-known author and professor.
He addresses the biggest lessons he took away from each short story, and discusses the craft of writing a short story.
It's a book about the art of storytelling:
How do you keep readers engaged in a story?
What about the story appeals to them? What makes the reading experience so satisfying?
I thoroughly enjoyed 'A Swim in a Pond in the Rain' and I'd recommended to all the readers and writers out there.
I also think it would be perfect for people who want to get into Russian literature but don't know where to begin.
stanley_nolan_blog's review against another edition
3.0
Chekhov and Turgenev and Tolstoy and Gogol oh my!
Well written and thoughtful analyses from one of the best American short story authors, but I think a lot of it is, or can be if one knows Russian, diminished by translator dependence. Because Saunders reads line by line, it often depends way too much on what the one of five translators of that story had written, which informs Saunders theses and our own enjoyment/studies. Nonetheless, a solid intro to Russian short stories and for short story authors interested in the minute details of crafting a tight twenty. I understand why he chose some the Russian framework, but he couldv'e written a better book if looking into Melville, Carver, O'Connor, Baldwin, Hemingway, Oates, etc.
Well written and thoughtful analyses from one of the best American short story authors, but I think a lot of it is, or can be if one knows Russian, diminished by translator dependence. Because Saunders reads line by line, it often depends way too much on what the one of five translators of that story had written, which informs Saunders theses and our own enjoyment/studies. Nonetheless, a solid intro to Russian short stories and for short story authors interested in the minute details of crafting a tight twenty. I understand why he chose some the Russian framework, but he couldv'e written a better book if looking into Melville, Carver, O'Connor, Baldwin, Hemingway, Oates, etc.
p_t_b's review
i like george saunders a lot, maybe more as a vibes merchant than an actual writer who you read and think about, so this seemed right down my lane. i tried but i couldn't get into this. i can see it working better as a kind of small group experience where voices other than his get in the mix and you really start to collaboratively dismantle and reassemble stories but mostly this is just the book-length equivalent of having someone tell you why they really love something a ton and you realizing early on in the process that you would rather just encounter the something on your own and then talk about it with them than get hosed down with secondhand joy. further evidence for my theory that you should only do things, and never talk about doing things, and generally just never talk
emmeleprose's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
michaelpdonley's review
5.0
10 stars. I hugged it when I was done. Truly.
Why? I mean, it's a virtual class about Russian short stories! But no, it's "a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life," three topics I am most interested in. Saunders has a generous, humorous, joyous writing style. He loves these stories, teaching them, musing about the authors and their intentions. Having read so many DULL non-fiction books, I'm ecstatic to be ecstatic about this book.
I will be reading it again, and enthusiastically recommending it.
Why? I mean, it's a virtual class about Russian short stories! But no, it's "a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life," three topics I am most interested in. Saunders has a generous, humorous, joyous writing style. He loves these stories, teaching them, musing about the authors and their intentions. Having read so many DULL non-fiction books, I'm ecstatic to be ecstatic about this book.
I will be reading it again, and enthusiastically recommending it.
floopa_joopa's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
5.0
Essential reading for those looking to deeper understand the art of short stories
carrieemoran's review
4.0
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this title. I am new to fiction writing, and found this book tremendously helpful for a newbie writer to understand the foundations of what makes a good story. I was not the biggest fan of the stories themselves, Russian fiction is apparently not my genre, but that didn't stop me from finding Saunders' writing to be engaging and useful.
This is a great book for anyone who wants to get into or get better at writing fiction.
This is a great book for anyone who wants to get into or get better at writing fiction.