A little late in the day, but this is the first of what I hope to be many contributions to Short Story Monday. Every Week I read John Mutford’s reviews of short stories. As I looked at my every-growing library, I realized that I had a lot of Short Story collections, Alice Munro, Carol Sheilds and even Stephen King are just a few of the authors whose short stories I have read and will read. I also have a fair stack of literary journals/magazines, including PRISM international, Other Voices and Geist. So I hope, every week, to add my review to Short Story Monday.
As Birds Bring Forth The Sun by Alistair MacLeod is the first story in a rather thick collection called From Ink Lake edited by Michael Ondaatje. (I know it’s also the title of one of MacLeod’s collections. This is just how I was introduced to it.) As Birds Bring Forth The Sun is part short story, part ghost story and part family legend. Simply, it’s about a love of a man for his dog. Yet, it’s not a simple story. It’s a powerful love. The story of the mysterious grey dog remains a part of the life of the family generations later. MacLeod tells an interesting and thoughtful tale. Though it isn’t long, the story stays with you. You wonder about the secret of the dog.
