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nadinekc's review against another edition
5.0
Rushdie is one of my favorite authors, but I've never read any of his short stories. Happy to say he's at the top of his game here. He's my Wizard of Words - five words into anything he writes and I'm ensorcelled. The stories in the first two sections (East and West) were previously published elsewhere, but the three stories in the third section, 'East,West' are original and two of them were my favorites - Chekov and Zulu, which improbably and brilliantly weaves together Star Trek and the assassination of Indira Ghandi, and The Courter, which is funny/tender - a combo that can so easily turn into treacle, but doesn't.
santreads's review against another edition
4.0
I kind of breezed through this one.
East, West is a compilation of short stories written by renowned author - Salman Rushdie. This is my first book by him. I know - it's a travesty, blah blah blah. But I got my chance this time and I went with it.
Honestly I was a little nervous about how I would take to Salman Rushdie's writing style. I had heard much about it and didn't want him to disappoint me.
I wasn't.
The book divided into three parts - East, West and East, West were absolutely delightful. I loved the East, West stories and the East stories more than the West. I loved that there was thing interesting Indian slang and syntax in the writing. There were these subtle plot changes that made you think, 'Oh my!'.
Definitely a great read for me.
(Too sleepy to write an actual review. My bad)
East, West is a compilation of short stories written by renowned author - Salman Rushdie. This is my first book by him. I know - it's a travesty, blah blah blah. But I got my chance this time and I went with it.
Honestly I was a little nervous about how I would take to Salman Rushdie's writing style. I had heard much about it and didn't want him to disappoint me.
I wasn't.
The book divided into three parts - East, West and East, West were absolutely delightful. I loved the East, West stories and the East stories more than the West. I loved that there was thing interesting Indian slang and syntax in the writing. There were these subtle plot changes that made you think, 'Oh my!'.
Definitely a great read for me.
(Too sleepy to write an actual review. My bad)
elle_reads's review
5.0
(Instagram @elle_reads)
BOOK REVIEW
[East, West: Stories] A global work highlighting its own hybrid nature.
//
WHAT I LIKED
East, West is divided into three sections: East’ West; and East, West. I loved the intense parallels Rushdie analyzes through a mix of reality and fantasy. MAGICAL REALISM! RUSHDIE? Of course.
BOOK REVIEW
[East, West: Stories] A global work highlighting its own hybrid nature.
//
WHAT I LIKED
East, West is divided into three sections: East’ West; and East, West. I loved the intense parallels Rushdie analyzes through a mix of reality and fantasy. MAGICAL REALISM! RUSHDIE? Of course.
sarahpisa's review against another edition
2.0
Let's start by saying that short stories are not my cup of tea. It took me more than a year to finish this book. I can still remember the first three stories vividly and joyfully, but all the others... even the one I just finished 5 minutes ago, were utterly insipid. I couldn't even tell you what they were about... people?
readingthroughthelists's review against another edition
4.0
This was my first time to read Salman Rushdie and I was thoroughly impressed. His command of language is masterful and extensive. The 'East' stories were probably my favorite as they had the most traditional format. In 'West', Rushdie began playing with language and setting a little more, and some of them were difficult for me to understand. 'East, West' stories were good, but depressing. But that I think, is just my fault, because I like happy endings.
Favorite stories: 'Yorick', 'Auction of the Ruby Slippers' and 'Chekov and Zulu'
Favorite stories: 'Yorick', 'Auction of the Ruby Slippers' and 'Chekov and Zulu'
heleendb's review against another edition
2.0
Bit of a struggle to get through, this one, due to Rushdie's verbal pyrotechnics bombarding me with cultural references I couldn't always place. Nevertheless, the man has a phenomenal imagination. His are the stories children should grow up with.
bibliocyclist's review against another edition
2.0
They were wonderful letters, brimming with confidence, but whenever I read them, and sometimes I read them still, I remember the expression which came over his face in the days just before he learned the truth about his radio, and the huge mad energy which he had poured into the act of conjuring reality, by an act of magnificent faith, out of the hot thin air between his cupped hand and his ear.
"The tragedy is not how one dies," he thought. "It is how one has lived."
"The tragedy is not how one dies," he thought. "It is how one has lived."
2amreader's review against another edition
3.0
GENERAL:
- short story collection
- enjoyable but not the most amazing
- some stories were more engaging than others
- common theme: the desire for transcendence
LIKES:
- pacing of each story, as well as the overall collection, was great.
- Rushdie displayed an impressively wide range of writing styles.
- each story had amazing endings that were punchy and left me awed.
- "Harmony of the Spheres" was one that moved the best. Captivating beginning. Plot that moves forward (but doesn't rush). Strong ending.
DISLIKES:
- not as magic realism as the others works I've read by him.... only "At the Auction of the Ruby Slippers" and "The Prophet's Hair" were sort of fantasy-esque
- "Yorick" was hard to understand for me. But that's a me problem and not an author problem.
- "Chekhov and Zulu" was also hard to understand in parts because of the Star Trek references.
SHORT STORIES RANKED:
- "The Courter"
- "Christopher Columbus and Queen Isabella of Spain Consummate their Relationship"
- "The Prophet's Hair"
- "The Harmony of the Spheres"
- "The Free Radio"
- "Good Advice is Rarer than Rubies"
- "Chekhov and Zulu"
- "At the Auction of the Ruby Slippers"
- "Yorick"
- short story collection
- enjoyable but not the most amazing
- some stories were more engaging than others
- common theme: the desire for transcendence
LIKES:
- pacing of each story, as well as the overall collection, was great.
- Rushdie displayed an impressively wide range of writing styles.
- each story had amazing endings that were punchy and left me awed.
- "Harmony of the Spheres" was one that moved the best. Captivating beginning. Plot that moves forward (but doesn't rush). Strong ending.
DISLIKES:
- not as magic realism as the others works I've read by him.... only "At the Auction of the Ruby Slippers" and "The Prophet's Hair" were sort of fantasy-esque
- "Yorick" was hard to understand for me. But that's a me problem and not an author problem.
- "Chekhov and Zulu" was also hard to understand in parts because of the Star Trek references.
SHORT STORIES RANKED:
- "The Courter"
- "Christopher Columbus and Queen Isabella of Spain Consummate their Relationship"
- "The Prophet's Hair"
- "The Harmony of the Spheres"
- "The Free Radio"
- "Good Advice is Rarer than Rubies"
- "Chekhov and Zulu"
- "At the Auction of the Ruby Slippers"
- "Yorick"
mmmmmm's review against another edition
3.0
I had this book assigned as a text for my Global & Postcolonial Literature class and it was not at all what I was expecting.
I loved the ‘East’ stories and ‘The Courter’ of the East-West portion was fantastic. I didn’t enjoy or relate to the West portion as much, but it still brought in elements of intriguing satire.
A solid, quick series of tales.
I loved the ‘East’ stories and ‘The Courter’ of the East-West portion was fantastic. I didn’t enjoy or relate to the West portion as much, but it still brought in elements of intriguing satire.
A solid, quick series of tales.
samchase112's review against another edition
4.0
Rating: 4.5 stars
Okay. Rushdie is just a master.
These short stories had so much depth to them, and I loved that they were still enjoyable to read. You think you're getting these fun stories about fantasy and reality, but in fact each one had its own unique message. My favorites are The Courter and At the Auction of the Ruby Slippers, though each story had its own merits.
An enjoyable read overall! I will note that I am glad I was able to talk about most of the stories in class, because otherwise I probably wouldn't understand most of the messages...
Okay. Rushdie is just a master.
These short stories had so much depth to them, and I loved that they were still enjoyable to read. You think you're getting these fun stories about fantasy and reality, but in fact each one had its own unique message. My favorites are The Courter and At the Auction of the Ruby Slippers, though each story had its own merits.
An enjoyable read overall! I will note that I am glad I was able to talk about most of the stories in class, because otherwise I probably wouldn't understand most of the messages...
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