As Birds Bring Forth The Sun
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.
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.
It's been so long since I read this, I cannot even remember it with your description. I do know that while I enjoyed his short story collections, I preferred his novel, No Great Mischief.
ReplyDeleteGlad to have you join us at Short Story Monday!
I remember reading his novel No Great Mischief, but didn't know MacLeod wrote short stories. Welcome to Short Story Monday - will look forward to your posts!
ReplyDeleteHello Loni,
ReplyDeleteI just bought this book, From Ink Lake at my local Goodwill store for $1.75. A great price. But I just sat down this minute to read the first story in the collection, As Birds Bring Forth The Sun, and I got to page six and ran into some terrible printing errors -- entire paragraphs seems to have been dropped! The second story, The Well Of Dunrea is also corrupted with printing errors.
A real shame, as I as really enjoying the MacLeod story.
That's too bad. It's a great story, in a great collection. If you search From Ink Lake on Google Books, it'll come up with a preview. It doesn't have every page, but maybe it'll have the part you're missing and you'll be able to finish the story.
ReplyDelete