Some Anomalies of the Short Story (from Literature and Life)

The Project Gutenberg EBook of Some Anomalies of the Short Story by William Dean HowellsThis eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it,give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online atwww.gutenberg.netTitle: Some Anomalies of the Short Story From "Literature and Life"Author: William Dean HowellsRelease Date: October 22, 2004 [EBook #3384]Language: English*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SOME ANOMALIES OF THE SHORT STORY ***Produced by David WidgerLITERATURE AND LIFE—Some Anomalies of the Short Storyby William Dean HowellsSOME ANOMALIES OF THE SHORT STORYThe interesting experiment of one of our great publishing houses in putting out serially several volumes of short stories,with the hope that a courageous persistence may overcome the popular indifference to such collections when severallyadministered, suggests some questions as to this eldest form of fiction which I should like to ask the reader's patiencewith. I do not know that I shall be able to answer them, or that I shall try to do so; the vitality of a question that is answeredseems to exhale in the event; it palpitates no longer; curiosity flutters away from the faded flower, which is fit then only tobe folded away in the 'hortus siccus' of accomplished facts. In view of this I may wish merely to state the problems andleave them for the reader's solution, ...