Harper P. bring Melville to Fifty-Two Stories – Another week, and another FREE short story from Harper Perennial’s Fifty-Two Stories website. This week the flavour turns classic once again with Herman Melville’s The Fiddler, one of the stories featured in Melville’s classic short story collection, The Happy Failure. I have this collection, yet still have to read any of the stories in it. Now I have an extra reason to do so.
Now, while we’re on the subject of Fifty-Two Stories I owe a short apology both to my readers and to Cal Morgan (head honcho of Fifty-Two Stories), because I never ‘book bited’ last week’s story. Not a major sin on its own but after seeing my Lydia Peelle Daily Bookshot on the Saturday of last week, Harper Perennial’s Cal Morgan took the time to personally contact me ahead of announcement, to let me know that the short story offering for the upcoming week was going to be none other than Ms. Peelle herself. The story, which of course is now ‘live’ on the site, is called Phantom Pain, and without trying to sound like I’m making amends for my failure, it looks like a good one. Sorry for not telling you sooner folks.
“The Book That Changed my Life” – In a very recent ‘gatepost’, Canongate Books point to a very interesting initiative that’s being run by the Scottish Book Trust right now. The agency whose main aim is to promote literacy in Scotland, are requesting story submissions on books which have changed people’s lives . Here’s the official blurb:
Is there a book that you feel really changed your life? A book that made you decide to do what you do or helped you to be who you are?
It might be a treasured childhood book, or a coming-of-age story, a classic novel or even a self-help book, a book that made you think or one that made you laugh… Whatever it is, we’d like you to tell us about “the book that changed your life”!
The website is already serving up a nice mix of contributions, from both celebrities and regular readers, and all of them make for plenty of warm and fuzzy ‘feel good’ reading.
Tolstoy at the Calder Bookshop – Keeping with today’s Tolstoyan theme (see earlier Daily Bookshot), and I received an interesting email today from Alex Middleton of Oneworld Classics, announcing a special Tolstoy event this Thursday (13th @ 7pm) at the Calder Bookshop, London. There will be readings from Three Novellas, a Oneworld Classics title which contains – The Devil, Family Happiness and A Landowner’s Morning. Just a pity I’m at the other end of the country. Full details can be found on this page, although you may have to scroll down until you see a rather dignified shot (is there anything but?) of Count Leo.
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