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A review by catiavra
Stories: Collected Stories by Susan Sontag
3.0
Until Stories, I had only known Susan Sontag‘s work as an essayist. However, when it came to my attention that Penguin Random House was publishing Stories, in 2017, I felt compelled to know this other side of Sontag’s writing.
The author wrote these stories to fathom the world she lives in, to find her place in it and to understand her mind and thoughts.
Sontag's voice and writing style varies throughout these eleven short stories. One of my favourite from this collection, called Pilgrimage, is perhaps the most traditional. Sontag reveals the first great encounter of her life: the day she met Thomas Mann. She was only fifteen years-old. However, as I said, her register changes completely throughout the book. The influence of science fiction or of the New French Novel is explicit in other texts, for instance.
Although I loved some of the tales, there were others that weren’t so successful, in my opinion. Old Complaints Revisited – another allegory – was a very dull text to read. I nearly gave up on that story.
Overall, I think Susan Sontag was one of the greatest intellectuals of last century and that is enough reason to recommend Stories. It’s a book one slowly savours and apprehends.
I’d like to thank Penguin Random House UK for sending me a copy of the book.
For more reviews, follow me on Instagram: @booksturnyouon
The author wrote these stories to fathom the world she lives in, to find her place in it and to understand her mind and thoughts.
Sontag's voice and writing style varies throughout these eleven short stories. One of my favourite from this collection, called Pilgrimage, is perhaps the most traditional. Sontag reveals the first great encounter of her life: the day she met Thomas Mann. She was only fifteen years-old. However, as I said, her register changes completely throughout the book. The influence of science fiction or of the New French Novel is explicit in other texts, for instance.
Although I loved some of the tales, there were others that weren’t so successful, in my opinion. Old Complaints Revisited – another allegory – was a very dull text to read. I nearly gave up on that story.
Overall, I think Susan Sontag was one of the greatest intellectuals of last century and that is enough reason to recommend Stories. It’s a book one slowly savours and apprehends.
I’d like to thank Penguin Random House UK for sending me a copy of the book.
For more reviews, follow me on Instagram: @booksturnyouon