speakeasie's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
batbones's review against another edition
3.0
These are stories of Welsh country - the places of Thomas' childhood, where the rough ways of life mingle with naivete in the most unexpected of ways. They are not quite fictional accounts, as the poet/writer himself is often the main character (or to put it in another way, the main character is named Dylan Thomas). His life is largely unknown to me and I can't ascertain fact and fiction, and so this volume dwells in between fantasy and reportage, between sketches of country life and an affecting, experiential account of it. The smells, textures and feelings however become real. They are intriguing stories, episodic in their memorability, snaring the reader's attention by some small detail, lingering briefly over an encounter, or a boy's unforgettable glimpse of the ocean. But Thomas-as-short-story-writer exhibits less of the same concentrated power and mastery of the line as Thomas-the-poet, and thankfully it is the latter which we get, and which survives in the cultural imagination. When a poem begins in the middle of the story, time seems to stop and the reader, like a captive audience, waits, barely breathing, taking in each grave and considered line.
moseslh's review against another edition
4.0
I noticed this book at the library and decided to check it out because Simon & Garfunkel make a joke about Dylan Thomas in "A Simple Desultory Philippic" and I've never read anything by him. The prose in this fictionalized collection of autobiographical vignettes is beautiful, and both his style and content have a sort of cozy homeyness to them that makes for a very pleasant read. I tended to prefer the earlier stories in the book, and my reading slowed down a lot towards the end when one or two chapters dragged on a bit, but I definitely enjoyed it overall.
Thomas's writing is very different from Steinbeck's, but I found myself having a similar emotional response to this as I had to [b:Cannery Row|4799|Cannery Row|John Steinbeck|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388188936s/4799.jpg|824028]—both books are extremely well-written, but lighter and more wholesome than most works of serious literature.
Thomas's writing is very different from Steinbeck's, but I found myself having a similar emotional response to this as I had to [b:Cannery Row|4799|Cannery Row|John Steinbeck|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388188936s/4799.jpg|824028]—both books are extremely well-written, but lighter and more wholesome than most works of serious literature.
ninjajon5's review against another edition
3.0
When this book hits right, it hits different. I think it peaks halfway through with Extraordinary Little Cough, but I can tell the more obscure ones will reward future re-reading. Great sense of place.
dejw's review against another edition
dark
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
awen_mair's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I just liked this book. Nothing more to say.
henrytinker's review against another edition
dark
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
kirstiecat's review against another edition
4.0
There's a great deal of interesting characters to these stories and though they don't really knock you over the head, they tend to stick with you for awhile in all their small subtleties. What I really enjoyed about this book is, and excuse me for being very Holden Caufield-y but none of the characters are fake or phony even the guy who convinces two women he loves them both. There's a sense of innocence to these Welsh human beings even when their intentions are not so good and there's also a huge range of people to discover from the preacher man to the grandfather losing his wits to the burgeoning poet who gets a chance to share his words with others. You can't help but feel a love and affection for them.
In a small way, it bears a crucial similarity to James Joyce's Dubliners in that all of these characters could in fact exist and be based on townspeople...yet, the polar opposite nature lies in the fact that none of these people seem to be filled with such depraved crooked malice.
In a small way, it bears a crucial similarity to James Joyce's Dubliners in that all of these characters could in fact exist and be based on townspeople...yet, the polar opposite nature lies in the fact that none of these people seem to be filled with such depraved crooked malice.
talhorn04's review against another edition
5.0
Worth 5 stars for the story ‘Who Do You Wish Was With Us?’ Absolutely incredible, maybe because it’s set so local to me I could imagine it so vividly, but it captures a grounded honesty and emotion without theatrics that took me by surprise in such a little charming book. If you don’t want to read the whole thing, read that story.