The best short stories of 1918, and the yearbook of the American short story
General
The best short stories of 1918, and the yearbook of the American short story
American fiction -- 20th century; Short stories -- 20th century -- Bibliography; Short stories -- 20th century -- Indexes; Short stories, American
34. _The Story Vinton Heard at Mallorie_, by _Katharine Prescott
Moseley_ (Scribner’s Magazine). Miss Moseley, who is a niece of Mrs.
Harriet Prescott Spofford, shares with Mrs. Frances G. Wood the
distinction of having contributed one of the two most enduring legends
this year to the supernatural literature of the war. One of the most
significant aspects of the American short story during the past two
years has been its increasing preoccupation with supernatural beliefs,
especially as they have a bearing on the fortunes of the war. Arthur
Machen perhaps inaugurated this movement with his remarkable story about
the angels of Mons, but the spirit was implicit before that in much
American work. In editing a series of War Echoes for The Bookman last
year, I had occasion to read the manuscripts of several hundred war
stories, and it was a gratifying surprise to find that fully sixty per
cent of these stories dealt with some supernatural aspect of the war.
35. _Clouds_, by _Walter L. Myers_ (The Midland). This remarkable study
of place is one of the best stories so far produced in the literary
revival throughout the Middle West which centres around the nucleus of
The Midland. I wish that The Midland would publish a volume of stories
selected from its columns during the last three years. Such a book would
quickly earn a permanent place on our shelves.
36. _Owen Carey_, by _Harvey J. O’Higgins_ (The Century Magazine). I
believe this story to be the most distinguished in the series of
imaginary American portraits that Mr. O’Higgins has been publishing
during the past two years. These studies aim to take as a starting point
the lives of men and women successful in many different fields, and to
depict in each case the thing which may have seemed perfectly trivial at
the time, but which actually proved to be the turning point in their
careers. It is such an incident in the life of a successful romantic
novelist which Mr. O’Higgins portrays in this story.
37. _The Second-Rater_, by _James Oppenheim_ (Century Magazine). In this
brilliant study of artistic temperament, Mr. Oppenheim portrays the
spiritual struggle of an artist in such a way as to reveal the finer
grain. The author has been clearly influenced by Henry James, but the
texture of his story is a little loosely woven.
38. _Unto Each His Crown_, by _Norma Patterson_ (The Bookman). This
nervously written study of death in battle and the discovery it awakened
is the work of a new writer who should have a brilliant future if my
judgment does not betray me. Like Miss Moseley’s story, it is a study in
the supernatural implications of the war. There is a proud joy in it
which the reader will find infectious.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account