Tag: deal me in short story challenge

American Fiction, Book Review, Classic, Fantasy, Fiction, History, Non-fiction, Novella, Short Story

Jessica Mitford vs. Ursula K Le Guin: A Deal Me In Short Story Challenge

For this round of the Deal Me In Short Story Challenge I drew Ursula K. Le Guin’s novella The Finder and an essay by Jessica Mitford called You-all and Non You-all: A Southern Potpourri.   My extra challenge has been trying to find a link between the two stories selected at random, which has been fun, frustrating, and once in a while impossible.  You might think it would … Continue reading Jessica Mitford vs. Ursula K Le Guin: A Deal Me In Short Story Challenge

james b chester3 Comments
American Fiction, Book Review, Classic, Fantasy, Fiction, Marriage Plot, Non-fiction, Ramble, Short Story

H.L. Mencken vs. Ursula K. Le Guin – A Deal Me In Short Story Challenge

When I joined Jay at Bibliophilopolis’s short story challenge, I added a little twist of my own, drawing two cards/stories from my deck and trying to find a way to link them in my review. It’s been fun but it’s not going to work this time. H.L. Mencken would hate Ursula K. Le Guin.  Mencken would surely be one of those critics lamenting the sad … Continue reading H.L. Mencken vs. Ursula K. Le Guin – A Deal Me In Short Story Challenge

james b chester5 Comments
Book Review, California, Classic, Fantasy, Fiction, Non-fiction, Rants, Science Fiction, Short Story

Joan Didion vs. Ben Winters. A Deal Me In Short Story Challenge

You might think this one would be a bit of a stretch. This time the two cards I dealt brought me Ben Winter’s linked stories “BRING HER TO ME” and “BRING THEM DOWN” from The Apocalypse Trilogy and Joan Didion’s essay “Comrade Laski, C.P.U.S.A. (M.-L.)’ from Slouching Towards Bethlehem. Winter’s story is about a group of religious fanatics who believe God has told them to end … Continue reading Joan Didion vs. Ben Winters. A Deal Me In Short Story Challenge

james b chester1 Comment
Book Review, California, Classic, History, Non-fiction

Joan Didion vs. Joan Didion: “John Wayne: A Love Song” and “Slouching Towards Bethlehem”

I consider this a lucky draw. The nine and the king of spades were both essays by Joan Didion in my second deck for the Deal Me In Short Story Challenge.  Obviously, since these are both non-fiction essay, I’ve changed up the rules to suit my own personal taste.  I’ve also been reading two “cards” at a time and trying to find a link between the … Continue reading Joan Didion vs. Joan Didion: “John Wayne: A Love Song” and “Slouching Towards Bethlehem”

james b chester5 Comments
American Fiction, Book Review, Classic, Fantasy, Fiction, Non-fiction, Short Story

Jessica Mitford vs. Ursula K. Le Guin – A Deal Me In Short Story Challenge

 If you could sit down to a nice dinner with Jessica Mitford and Ursula K. Le Guin I think you’d be in for a very interesting evening.  I have no idea if either ever read the other’s work, I kind of doubt  it actually, but they certainly read enough and wrote enough to be very interesting people.   They both would have a lot of interesting … Continue reading Jessica Mitford vs. Ursula K. Le Guin – A Deal Me In Short Story Challenge

james b chester5 Comments
Classic, Non-fiction

H.L. Mencken vs. Joan Didion a Deal Me In Short Story Non-Fiction Edition

Anyone who makes a list of the top ten essayists America has produced is likely to include both H.L. Mencken and Joan Didion. Mencken wrote during the opening decades of the 20th century while Didion began her writing career in the centuries second half but each clearly became a key writer of their time.  Each can be held up as uniquely American on some level, … Continue reading H.L. Mencken vs. Joan Didion a Deal Me In Short Story Non-Fiction Edition

james b chester4 Comments
Book Review, Classic, Non-fiction

Jessica Mitford vs. H.L. Mencken–A Deal Me In Short Story Challenge

You can’t go wrong with either Jessica Mitford or H.L. Mencken so this was a very lucky draw for me.  Actually, I stacked the deck a bit for this my second round with the Deal Me In Short Story Challenge, lots of Mitford and lots of Mencken in my current deck.  This match up was bound to happen. I drew Jessica Mitford’s 1961 essay “Proceed … Continue reading Jessica Mitford vs. H.L. Mencken–A Deal Me In Short Story Challenge

james b chester3 Comments
Book Review, Classic, Non-fiction, Short Story

Joan Didion vs. Jessica Mitford: A Deal-Me-In Short Story Non-Fiction Special Edition

I’m really breaking Jay’s rules now. The Deal Me In Short Story Challenge asks readers to assign one story to each card in a deck of 52.  Draw one card each week; read and review the story that goes with it.  Since I joined, I’ve been drawing two cards at a time and looking for ways I can connect the randomly selected stories.   For … Continue reading Joan Didion vs. Jessica Mitford: A Deal-Me-In Short Story Non-Fiction Special Edition

james b chester6 Comments
Book Review, Classic, Fiction, German Literature, Kenyan Literature, Short Story

Christa Wolf vs. Grace Ogot

I know this comment will make me look like a snob but I’m going to make it anyway. It was so nice to read two stories that were so well written. I’ve read a wide range a short stories for the Deal Me In Short Story Challenge.  But it’s been a while since I read two stories that featured such good writing.  At the risk … Continue reading Christa Wolf vs. Grace Ogot

james b chester3 Comments
Classic, English Literature, Fiction, Japanese Literature, Short Story

Henry James vs. Haruki Murakami: A Deal Me In Short Story Challenge.

This post concludes my first round of the Deal Me In Short Story Reading Challenge. While I expected to finish back in August, I have enjoyed the challenge so much that I’ve already set up, and started on, a second set of stories and essays.  I’ve added essays to the challenge for  Non-fiction November. For this final round in my first deck I had only … Continue reading Henry James vs. Haruki Murakami: A Deal Me In Short Story Challenge.

james b chester2 Comments
American Fiction, Japanese Literature, Short Story

Haruki Murakami vs. John Hersey: A Deal Me In Short Story Challenge

John Hersey was better. For this round of the Deal Me In Short Story Challenge I drew “Firefly” by Haruki Murakami and “A Game of Anagrams” by John Hersey. I did do a little “Yes!” when I drew a short story by Murakami.  For a long time my deck has been dancing around the Murakami cards, getting close, tempting me to stray from the rules. … Continue reading Haruki Murakami vs. John Hersey: A Deal Me In Short Story Challenge

james b chester3 Comments
American Fiction, Book Review, Classic, Fantasy, Fiction, Short Story

Strangers on a Train: Ernest Hemingway vs. Charles de Lint

This one should have been more of a challenge. For the Deal Me In Short Story Challenge I’ve been selecting two stories each round by drawing two cards from my deck and reading the stories assigned to each card.  Afterwards, I try to link the two somehow in my review.  It’s been fun. Sometimes it’s been impossible, but this time it was a cinch. I selected … Continue reading Strangers on a Train: Ernest Hemingway vs. Charles de Lint

james b chester7 Comments