Since I consume anything by Willa Cather indiscriminately, I’m always a bit disappointed when some of the content reads like Edith Wharton (centering rich society people experiencing rich people problems) when I had expected immigrant stories. The article at the back of the book contains major spoilers for many Cather novels, but does an excellent job of explaining this strange dynamic, and also provides some very loving archeology assisted by Cather’s surviving partner to give us a good understanding of the last unfinished novella we’ll never read.

“Paul’s Case”- a perfect short story, strikes me more intensely every time I read it. I also loved “Coming, Aphrodite!”

Some works (“Neighbour Rosicky”, “Old Mrs. Harris”) feel more like outlines of novels and end abruptly and awkwardly. ( )

I'm not a regular reader of short stories and as much as I love Willa Cather's writing, it was hard for me to read through this collection when I first picked it up. One of the things I've enjoyed about being a book blogger is joining and/or creating reading challenges. A public declaration of intention along with a reading schedule can usually motivate me to keep focused and avoid all the shiny objects that pull my attention (namely, the million other books I want to read).

So, I created a reading project focused on Cather's short stories, starting with this book. Some friends and I read one story a month from this collection. It took twenty months and was well worth the time investment. Doing a slow read also gave me/us more time to ponder each story before rushing on to the next one.

I had read some of these stories in the past, like "Paul's Case," which will always be a favorite. One of the standout stories for me is "Coming, Aphrodite!" It's set in NYC's Greenwich Village in the late 19th century and shows a slice of what living there was like for the artists that made the neighborhood such a beacon for creatives for generations to come. The story revolves around a relationship between a singer and a painter who are neighbors. There's also a fabulous scene on Coney Island. Just writing about it makes me want to re-read it.

Reading this book was Phase One of the Willa Cather Short Story Project. Here's the main link for this reading project where you can read the reminder post and the response post for each story:

http://bit.ly/WillaCatherShortStoryProject

Phase Two of this project will begin in January 2021. ( )

16. Collected Stories by Willa Cather
published: 1992
format: 493-page paperback
acquired: April 2020
read: Jan 25 – Apr 29
time reading: 21:56, 2.7 mpp
rating: 5
locations: New York, London, Pittsburg, Boston, Kansas, Wyoming, Nebraska, France, Nova Scotia, New Mexico...
about the author: born near Winchester, VA, later raised in Red Cloud, NE. December 7, 1873 – April 24, 1947

Cather wrote numerous stories published in various magazines, and 19 of them were released in five different collections, two posthumous. This collection includes those 19 and an essay by [[George N. Kates]] that was included in the last story collection published in 1956.

Cather was a dynamic author who reveals here much more complexity than her novels indicate. Beginning in a Henry James‘s style, she quickly cultivated her own voice, tying to various experiences in her life and imagination. I liked her novels better, but I love what this collection reveals. So 5 stars.

I have reviewed all the stories in two of my LibraryThing threads. So I won't revisit them here. Below is a list with links to all these posts.

From [The Troll Garden] (1905)
• Flavia and Her Artists
• The Garden Lodge
• The Marriage of Phaedra
https://www.librarything.com/topic/328037#7402738

[Youth and the Bright Medusa] (1920)
• Coming, Aphrodite
https://www.librarything.com/topic/328037#7430403
• The Diamond Mine
• A Gold Slipper
https://www.librarything.com/topic/328037#7430439
• Scandal
• Paul's Case
• A Wagner Matinée
https://www.librarything.com/topic/328037#7430714
• The Sculptor's Funeral
• “A Death in the Desert”
https://www.librarything.com/topic/328037#7443797

[Obscure Destinies] (1932)
• Neighbour Rosicky
https://www.librarything.com/topic/328037#7464416
• Old Mrs. Harris
• Two Friends
https://www.librarything.com/topic/330945#7464517

[The Old Beauty and Others] (1948)
• The Old Beauty
• The Best Years
• Before Breakfast
https://www.librarything.com/topic/330945#7477272

[247551::Five Stories] (1956)
• The Enchanted Bluff
• Tom Outland's Story
https://www.librarything.com/topic/330945#7494176
• “Willa Cather's Unfinished Avignon Story," an article by [[George N. Kates]].
https://www.librarything.com/topic/330945#7495920

2021
https://www.librarything.com/topic/330945#7495932 ( )

This is an enchanting read. What I found particularly powerful were the description-based stories, which added to the overall poise and style of the collection. Those were my favorites. While some stories fell short, the majority of them managed to hold their own. Cather is a masterful storyteller who weaves magic with her words. ( )