Product Description

This book contains the first ever selection of her stories, from her earliest published work in 1968 to her latest in 1994. Her star is in the ascendant -winner of the 1994 W. H. Smith Award, shortlisted for the second time in 1995 for the Irish Times International Fiction Award. This wonderful selection of the greatest stories will demonstrate her genius, her versatility, her extraordinary humanity, and will delight new readers as well as her fans.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #25750 in Books
• Published on: 1997-11-06
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 418 pages

From the Publisher
A brilliant collection from a brilliant writer
'The greatest living short story writer' A S Byatt, Books of the Year, Sunday Times

‘The finest writer of short stories working in the English language today’ The Times

This first-ever selection of Alice Munro’s stories sums up her genius, her versatility and her inimitable humanity. Her territory is the secrets that crackle beneath the façade of everyday lives, the pain and promises, loves and fears of apparently ordinary men and women, whom she renders extraordinary and unforgettable. This beautiful volume is a treasury for Alice Munro’s many admirers and an irresistible introduction for new readers.

‘That Munro is a great writer of short stories should go without saying. She is also one of the two or three best writers of fiction (of any length) now alive’ Sunday Times

‘This superb collection…confirms Munro’s place as the laureate of thwarted passion – and quite possible the greatest short story writer at work today’ Daily Telegraph

‘An outstanding showcase for Munro’s scrupulous, humane, unnervingly perceptive vision’ Guardian

Customer Reviews

Chekhov... Colette... Munro...
I discovered Alice Munro`s expansive, long-breathed, feisty stories late in the day. It was her collection `The Progress of Love` a few years ago, and I was heartstopped, exultant to have found such generous beauty, such honest and freely passionate writing. I am reading the `Selected` - taking my time with them, for each story is a world, a journey, though it only be from the house to the lake, which her readers know can be the most fascinating odyssey in itself - and marvelling anew at such gemlike works of art as `Material` and `Mobile, Montana`. Ms Munro is a great artist (in a way that, say, Doris Lessing, for all her brilliance, is not) and a very fine writer. She is by no means a `feminist writer`! Not only does such an appellation diminish and limit her achievement, it is plainly inaccurate. She writes with blazing clearness and wry compassion about women and men - as does, say, Doris Lessing...
To give this great writer less than a full 5 stars seems to me impertinent, to say the least. Read her.

A great book to dip into.
A great book to dip into and a wonderful introduction to Alice Munro. Many of the stories explore relationships and look at the responsibility the characters take on board for mothers, fathers, children and step-mothers at different points their lives.

Munro uses straight forward language in her stories and everyday situations, bringing the characters to life by their reaction to these everyday occurances.

Some of the stories are romantic, like" There's Something I've been meaning to tell you", where we get an insight into the existance of two woman Et and Char, toward the end of their lives. The woman have both loved and lost and accepted "their lot" but the return of a child hood sweetheart to the village stirs up feelings.

Munro has many strong women in these stories, and manages to give them a real degree of sensitivity and softness along side the forcefulness that enables the characters to be opened up so that we can see how they got to be the way they are.

A great book to keep on the bedside table and read every now and again or indeed share.

it was great.
the way alice munro writes is extremely good. i liked many of the stories, especiallly the progress of love. i like the way the child is descrbing her mothers life..