[M3B]≡ Read Magic for Beginners Kelly Link Shelley Jackson 9780156031875 Books

Magic for Beginners Kelly Link Shelley Jackson 9780156031875 Books

Download As PDF : Magic for Beginners Kelly Link Shelley Jackson 9780156031875 Books

Magic for Beginners Kelly Link Shelley Jackson 9780156031875 Books

Boy howdy, this is a killer collection of short stories. The first story, "The Faery Handbag" is about an entire world inside a handbag. That's what this book feels like--a whole magical world that you get sucked into and can't get out of, not that you'd want to.

My favorites include "The Hortlak." Although I have no idea what a Hortlak is (the word is only mentioned in the title) it's about a 24-hour convenience store, animal euthanasia, pajama pants, and zombies. According to google translate, "hortlak" is Turkish for "ghost," "ghoul," or "spook," so that's fitting. It's about embracing the unusual, which sometimes makes more sense than the mundane. For example, the convenience store will only sell you what you want, and you only pay what you want. How would the world change if things operated that way?

"Some Zombie Contingency Plans" is one that didn't capture me right away, but I read twice. That's something. It's about practical things (having a zombie contingency plan) versus impractical things (modern art), sex, identity, and, of course, zombies. Who are zombies? Are you a zombie? Am I zombie? Are we all zombies?

"Magic for Beginners" is about being obsessed with a TV show. We've all been there. We relate our lives and our dramas to the characters on the screen that they become real and we become fictional. We become the TV show, dramatizing our own existence.


Tags : Magic for Beginners [Kelly Link, Shelley Jackson] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. <div> Magic for Beginners</i> is Kelly Link’s eagerly anticipated and critically acclaimed follow-up to her beloved debut,Kelly Link, Shelley Jackson,Magic for Beginners,Harvest Books,0156031876,American Novel And Short Story,Fiction,Fiction - General,Fiction General,Fiction Science Fiction Collections & Anthologies,Fiction Short Stories (single author),FictionScience Fiction - Collections & Anthologies,Science Fiction - Collections & Anthologies,Short Stories (single author),Short stories

Magic for Beginners Kelly Link Shelley Jackson 9780156031875 Books Reviews

In his liner notes to a 2005 CD titled "Back in New York," jazz enthusiast Peter Straub (yes, that Peter Straub), briefly touches on the concept of mastery, stating "What is represented here is mastery of a very particular kind. As a rule, mastery of any kind demands both a rich talent and an utter dedication to its development; in improvised music, only a few obtain mastery of this kind." Although Straub was referring to the great tenor saxaphonist Scott Hamilton with those words, he probably could be persuaded that they also apply to fantasist Kelly Link (heck, he's already dubbed her "the most impressive writer of her generation") , who, for the last decade, has demonstrated an unparalleled mastery of the short story form in every sense of that word. In retrospect, to say she has mastered the form is perhaps an understatement not only has she tamed this particular beast, she's taught it a few new tricks. Her talent and dedication shine through in each and every tale.

Link's collections are treasure troves of creative storytelling, each volume a celebration of the power of the imagination, each story a unique, glittering gem worthy of careful and repeated inspection. Combining fantastic concepts with familiar elements of the real world, Link's works reveal there are myriad ways of interpreting and portraying "reality". You'll rarely encounter a writer as warm, adventurous, eclectic and sharp witted as Link. Fearless, there is no place she won't go; empathic, she effortlessly conveys to her audience the nuances of her characters' pain, bewilderment, joy and understanding.

Stranger Things Happen contains stories about dead men, newlyweds, twins, thieves, princesses, strange cousins, cannibals, marriage, unrequited love, ghosts, and girl detectives. Magic for Beginners sports stories featuring handbags, zombies, cannons, a haunted house, felines, contingency plans, divorce, a television show, and peacocks. Link writes about each of these topics with equal aplomb and inventiveness. She's aware of the numerous levels of story, of tales within tales, of the many paths she can choose in telling her stories-amazingly, she always picks what seems to be the most entertaining road to travel.

Her titles alone are arresting. Stranger Things Happen (featuring stories written between 1995-2000) contains, among others, "The Specialist's Hat," "Flying Lessons," "Travels with the Snow Queen," "Shoe and Marriage," "Most of My Friends are Two Thirds Water," and "The Girl Detective." Magic for Beginners (with stories written between 2002-2004) boasts the title story, "Catskin," "Some Zombie Contingency Plans," and "The Great Divorce." The titles fulfill their strange promise in surprising ways.

Simply put, these collections are delightful, the stories perfect for engaging your intellect and sense of whimsy and purging yourself of the mundane. Check them out, and learn for yourself that, when it comes to spinning edgy tall tales, the unconventional Link is in a class by herself.
I loved 'Pretty Monsters' so I bought this without checking it out thoroughly first. MISTAKE. I'm guessing it was because 'Pretty Monsters' was a YA collection and this one is adult (possibly?), but the new stories in this one were... well, I won't outright say they're bad, but there are some I deeply regret reading. I'll go quickly story-by story, rate and explain.
'The Faery Handbag' had been in Pretty Monsters as well - I love this one.
'The Hortlak' was deeply confusing, but had its moments.
'The Cannon' was purely weird, and not in a good way. I found myself coming out of the pleasant haze of being swept along by her writing style more and more while reading it, and ended saying 'What the hell was that?' I felt like I wasted my time. Maybe somebody else could get something out of it, but I definitely didn't.
'Stone Animals' was unsettling, a pretty decent horror story, but I think 'The Specialist's Hat' and 'Monster' were both better examples of her horror.
'Catskins'. Oh boy. I am really trying to be open-minded about this, but put frankly this story made me want to puke. It was DISGUSTING all the way through - characters, descriptions, content, things that were said - I literally have it taped together in my collection so I don't actually glance at it and make myself sick again. I can't recommend it, but maybe... someone would enjoy it...? I think I'd better just move on. But in case you couldn't guess, that story alone docked a star from this review.
'Some Zombie Contingency Plans' - weird and plotless. I think that after Catskins I'd lost a great deal of my tolerance for the plotless, rambling nature of Kelly Link's writing, and I might have enjoyed this one more if I hadn't been so shaken before reading it. (God, I'm making myself sound like a fragile old maid. But Catskins was REALLY gross). It's sort of like 'The Hortlak' - it's strange, but it has its moments.
'The Great Divorce' - Ugh. I don't even have much to say about this one but 'ugh'. It was unpleasant but not as gross as Catskins, and doesn't have any redeeming moments I can recall... and upon checking my collection, I find that I apparently taped that one together as well. Yep, I guess that's past-me recommending to give this one a pass.
'Magic For Beginners' - I felt like weeping with relief when I reached this one. I loved it in Pretty Monsters and despite being seriously disturbed by some of KL's writing I still love it. It's got a bit more plot and drive than most of her stories in here, some beautiful ideas and turns of phrase - my favorite out of the collection, out of almost all her writing.
'Lull' - and we plunge back into WTF depths. Seriously, I just - don't know what to do with this story. So much goes on, technically, but it's all a story within a story being told in fast-paced rambling style, and I never managed to connect with any of the characters that showed up - I got bored, frankly. It might appeal to people in a different place than me, though.
I am most reminded of the New Wave in science fiction. Stories that only just meet the criteria to be in the genre, and are self consciously 'literate'. That said, the stories are well written,. That said, not my cup of tea. Tom out
Boy howdy, this is a killer collection of short stories. The first story, "The Faery Handbag" is about an entire world inside a handbag. That's what this book feels like--a whole magical world that you get sucked into and can't get out of, not that you'd want to.

My favorites include "The Hortlak." Although I have no idea what a Hortlak is (the word is only mentioned in the title) it's about a 24-hour convenience store, animal euthanasia, pajama pants, and zombies. According to google translate, "hortlak" is Turkish for "ghost," "ghoul," or "spook," so that's fitting. It's about embracing the unusual, which sometimes makes more sense than the mundane. For example, the convenience store will only sell you what you want, and you only pay what you want. How would the world change if things operated that way?

"Some Zombie Contingency Plans" is one that didn't capture me right away, but I read twice. That's something. It's about practical things (having a zombie contingency plan) versus impractical things (modern art), sex, identity, and, of course, zombies. Who are zombies? Are you a zombie? Am I zombie? Are we all zombies?

"Magic for Beginners" is about being obsessed with a TV show. We've all been there. We relate our lives and our dramas to the characters on the screen that they become real and we become fictional. We become the TV show, dramatizing our own existence.