Short Story Reviews =D

source Title: Misery (To whom shall i tell my sorrow) Author:    Anton Chekhov Author's Background: Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, 29 January 1860[1] – 15 July 1904)[2] was a Russian playwright and short story writer, who is considered to be among the greatest writers of short fiction in history. His career as a playwright produced four classics and his best short stories are held in high esteem by writers and critics. source Vocabulary: galoshes -  a waterproof overshoe, typically made of rubber. reins -  a long, narrow strap attached at one end to a horse's bit, typically used in pairs to guide or check a horse in riding or driving. kopecks -   a monetary unit of Russia and some other countries of the former Soviet Union. misery -    a state or feeling of great physical or mental distress or discomfort Characters: Iona Potapov- the sledge driver who wants someone to listen to his thoughts out about the death of his son. Officer - first...

source Title: DEAD STARS Author: Paz Marquez Benitez Author's Background: Born in 1894 in Lucena, Tayabas (now Quezon). Marquez – Benítez authored the first Filipino modern English language short story, Dead Stars, published in the Philippine Herald in 1925. Born into the prominent Marquez family of Quezon province, she was among the first generation of Filipino people trained in the American education system which used English as the medium of instruction. She graduated high school in Tayabas High School now, Quezon National High School. She was a member of the first freshman class of the University of the Philippines, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1912. source Vocabulary: Azotea - a flat roof or platform on the top of a house or other building. Perfervid - intense and impassioned. Insipid - lacking flavour; weak or tasteless. Tumultuous - making an uproar or loud, confused noise. Deluded - make (someone) believe something that is not true. Placidi...

source Title:  The Visitation of the Gods Author: Gilda Cordero-Fernando Author's Background:  Gilda Cordero-Fernando is a writer and publisher from the Philippines. She was born on June 4, 1932 in Manila, has a B.A. from St. Theresa's College-Manila, and an M.A. from the Ateneo de Manila University.  Cordero-Fernando has two collections of short stories: The Butcher, The Baker and The Candlestick Maker (1962) and A Wilderness of Sweets (1973). These books have been compiled and reissued as the Story Collection (1994). Another book, Philippine Food and Life, was published in 1992 with Alfredo Roces. Cordero-Fernando also worked on Filipino Heritage, a 10-volume study on Philippine history and culture published by Lahing Pilipino in 1978. Afterwards, she founded GCF Books which published a dozen titles that deal with various aspects of Philippine culture and society. source Vocabulary: Assiduous - showing great care and perseverance.  Tangible - percept...

source Title:   How my Brother Leon brought Home a Wife Author: Manuel Estabilla Arguilla Author's Background: Manuel Estabilla Arguilla (Nagrebcan, June 17, 1911 – beheaded, Manila Chinese Cemetery, August 30, 1944) was an Ilokano writer in English, patriot, and martyr. He is known for his widely anthologized short story "How My Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife," the main story in the collection How My Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife and Other Short Stories, which won first prize in the Commonwealth Literary Contest in 1940. source Vocabulary: Carretela - a carriage pulled by a horse. Camino Real - a main highway. Waig - stream, a body of water (in ilocano). Yonder - the far distance. Bole - trunk of a tree. Rein - keep under control. Characters: Baldo - Narrator of the story, and Leon's brother. Leon - The brother of Baldo, who brought home a wife.  Maria - The wife of Leon, who grew in the City and not in the Province. Father - told Ba...

source Title: Footnote to Youth Author: Jose Garcia Villa Author's Background:  Jose Garcia Villa (August 5, 1908 – February 7, 1997) was a Filipino poet, literary critic, short story writer, and painter. He was awarded the National Artist of the Philippines title for literature in 1973, as well as the Guggenheim Fellowship in creative writing by Conrad Aiken. He is known to have introduced the "reversed consonance rhyme scheme" in writing poetry, as well as the extensive use of punctuation marks—especially commas, which made him known as the Comma Poet . He used the penname Doveglion (derived from "Dove, Eagle, Lion"), based on the characters he derived from himself. These animals were also explored by another poet E. E. Cummings in Doveglion, Adventures in Value , a poem dedicated to Villa.  source. Vocabulary: Climacteric - a critical period or event. Prodded -  poke with a finger, foot, or pointed object. Decrescent - Warning Insolent -  showin...

source Title: My Father Goes to Court Author: Carlos Bulosan Author's Background:  Carlos Sampayan Bulosan (November 24, 1913[1] – September 11, 1956) was an English-language Filipino novelist and poet who spent most of his life in the United States. His best-known work today is the semi-autobiographical America Is in the Heart, but he first gained fame for his 1943 essay on The Freedom from Want. source Vocabulary:  Wafted -   pass or cause to pass gently through the air. Glowered -  have an angry or sullen look on one's face; scowl. Condemning -  express complete disapproval of; censure. Anaemic -  lacking in colour, spirit, or vitality. Robust -  strong and healthy; vigorous. Gratuitous -  given or done free of charge. Feeble -  lacking physical strength, especially as a result of age or illness. Morose -  sullen and ill-tempered. Characters: Narrator - one of the son of the poor family. Brother and Sist...

source Title: Portrait of a Great Man Author: Manuel A. Viray Author's Background: (1917-1995?) has compiled poetry anthologies, essays on Philippine literature, and was editor in chief of Archipelago Quarterly. He worked in the foreign service corp of the Philippine Government until his retirement.  source  * the author is not too well-known because he spent the better part of his life in overseas assignments. source Vocabulary:  Capricious -  given to sudden and unaccountable changes of mood or behaviour. Chauffeur -  a person employed to drive a private or hired car. Stern -  strict and severe. Compulsion -  the action or state of forcing or being forced to do something; constraint. Baffled -  totally bewilder or perplex. Pudgy -  (of a person or part of their body) rather fat. Meticulous -  showing great attention to detail; very careful and precise. Kaywoodie - brand of a smoking pipe. Unceremoniously - with a ...