Thirteen Stories (Harvest Book)

This collection of short stories by Eudora Welty contains two of my all-time favorite short stories: 'Why I live in the P.O.' and 'The Worn Path'. Not only have I read each of these stories several times, but I have listened to them on tape performed by the author. They have been so popular in my family that one of my children knows 'Why I Live in the P.O.' by heart and has performed it for us many a time. 'The Worn Path' is a poignant and tragic tale about a grandmother who is trying desperately to get medicine in time to save her grandson's life. 'Why I live in the P.O.' is a comic tale about a young woman who feels that she is not appreciated enough by her family so she leaves her home, moving to the post office where she serves as post mistress for her small town. The story is so funny that I laugh out loud every time I read it or hear it. I can't say enough about the brilliance of Eudora Welty's writing. She masters tragedy and comedy both. This collection contains some of her best works.

This is a representative collection of the late Eudora Welty's short stories. While Welty wrote several novels, including the entertaining Robber Bridegroom, her reputation rests mainly on her short stories. This collection contains many of her most famous stories and shows well the range of her writing. Welty was an extremely skilful writer who could vary her writing style from the lyrical to the concise. Welty's work seems to inspire dichotomous reactions; either rapture or dislike. I find her work interesting but not compelling. This book is an excellent means to decide whether or not you wish to invest the a significant amount of time in reading Welty.

I know that Welty has several editions out of her stories. I know that these stories have been anthologized a lot ("A Worn Path," "A Wide Net," and "The Hitch-Hikers"). So it doesn't matter to me what edition of her stories that you buy, as long as you read them.This edition is my first exposure to her collected stories (after I first read her autobiographical book, "One Writer's Beginnings") and I must admit that I am fascinated. She includes an incredible about in the settings, in the agile characterizations, and in her own unique, point of view. She is a master storyteller.My personal favorites include "A Wide Net," "A Worn Path," and "Why I Sleep At The P.O."