Reviews for Droll Stories, Vol. 1

The average rating for Droll Stories, Vol. 1 based on 2 reviews is 2 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2012-07-18 00:00:00 Steve Antley Balzac planned to write one hundred of these short stories, but only thirty were completed at the time of his death. Generally available in three groups of ten, it was a bit much to try to read them right through. Unless you're a great fan of short stories, they're best taken in small doses.

Review # 2 was written on 2014-04-20 00:00:00 Rodney Neisent "The lovely thing about humanity is that at times one may be unaware of doing right, but one is always aware of doing wrong." ― Vladimir Nabokov, The Stories of Vladimir Nabokov In someways reading/listening to Nabokov's stories is like swimming in a turbulent river of all his great themes (doppelgängers, the creative process, loss, nostalgia for Russia, the individual, obsession, dreams/reality, etc*). While there were some stories that were masterpieces, the strength of this book really is the ability it gives the Nabokov enthusiast to see the development of a brilliant writer from the early 20s (egg) to the late 50s (imago). One only needs to read 'Terra Incognita' to see the seeds of his novel 'Ada: or Ardor' or read 'Tyrants Destroyed' to see the seeds of 'Invitation to Beheading'. This collection is a must for those who adore Nabokov, but also an interesting introduction to Nabokov for those whose only exposure may be "Lolita'. * I am certain I am leaving out a major theme. Each time I change,, update the review it peeks out at me but disappears as soon as my eyes focus and my fingers start to type.