Welcome to the first installment of the United States of Books (click here for info). Today’s pick is from the state of my birth – Ohio.
Winesburg, Ohio is a series of interconnecting short stories
(twenty-two in total) published in 1919. It is considered to be one of the
earliest works of modernist literature and in 1998, the Modern Library
ranked Winesburg, Ohio 24th on its list of the 100 best English-language
novels of the 20th century.
Focusing mainly on George Willard, a young man coming of
age in the early 1900’s in a small town, all the stories revolve around the
citizens in the town. Stories range from tales of the local doctor, school
teacher and merchant. Tales of scandal, the women who was the first to have a
driver for her carriage, family, the mother who is uninterested in raising her
child, and love, a brief affair concerning the town doctor, showcase the
citizens of the town. Over one hundred characters are mentioned, some only once
and some weave through each story. It was interesting to see that gossip about
others was prevalent in that time and that jealousy regarding monetary and
social statuses were also heavily in play. There were very obvious social
classes and the interaction between the haves and the have nots was a primary
focus.
This was a very fast read at only 180-ish pages and I did enjoy
it. The pacing was quick, as each story was only a few pages long. The world
building was superb. Sherwood Anderson created such a complete and well fleshed
out world, I could picture the streets, the stores and the houses as
I read. The characters fit well in the world and even though you only got
glimpses into their world, I understood their motivations and actions.
While Winesburg, Ohio is not a typical read for me now, I was
a classic English lit major when I started college and have read a large amount
of classics in the past. It was nice to get back to my reading roots and delve
into a story (in this case stories) that don’t focus on social media mishaps,
love found across a bar, or a helicopter parent. Not that I don’t enjoy reads
like that, but sometimes focusing on the writing itself is a welcome
change.
Favorite lines – In all the babble of words that fell from the
lips of the men with whom she adventured she was trying to find what would be
for her the true word.
Little pyramids of truth he erected and after erecting knocked
them down again that he might have the truths to erect other pyramids.
Biggest cliche – “Those damn carriages will never catch on.”
Have you read Winesburg, Ohio, or added it to your TBR?
