The World and Other Places: Stories

by Jeanette Winterson

Book Overview

In this, her first collection of short stories, Winterson reveals all the facets of her extraordinary imagination. In prose that is full of imagery and word-play, she creates physical and... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0375702369
• ISBN13: 9780375702365
• Release Date: June 2000
• Publisher: Vintage
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.4" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

Beautiful collection of short stories!

Jeanette Winterson never fails to amaze me. Her stories -- an assortment of ambiguous genders and historical elements mixed with poetic and philosophical undertones and magical realism -- are true literary masterpieces. Having read The Passion, The Powerbook and Written on the Body, I thought I'd give one of her anthologies a whirl. The World and Other Places transcends Winterson's talents in gigantic proportions. My favorite stories are "Atlantic Crossing," "The Poetics of Sex," and "24-Hour Dog." The aforementioned stories are what Winterson is about. She humanizes situations that are otherwise seen as taboo subjects -- and she does so with wonderful literary offerings. I couldn't recommend this gem enough...

Each story could be a novel in itself

Winterson's fiction is compelling because she teaches a little bit about the physical world while at the same time leading the reader on a spectacular emotional journey. She is like a naturalist of the inner life, pointing out highlights along the way. Her writing is so beautiful it may make you cry.

A beautiful way to end the year

Having read the rest of Winterson's in-print books this year, this volume of short stories proved a lovely, fitting end. Some were reflections found in her other works (Sexing the Cherry, Written on the Body), some were completely new to me. Just beautiful.

Juicy reading

I find Winterson's writing and style utterly electrifying. These various stories, some of which delve into the theme of what one risks reveals what one values, explore a variety of worlds and lives. One or two of the stories didn't resonate with me as much as the others, but overall this collection is marvelous. From the lush "The Poetics of Sex" to the dazzling "Orion" to the delightful "Turn of the World", these stories border on fables, and reminded me of works by Emma Donoghue, Angela Carter, and Ben Marcus, among others. Such an invigorating assortment that is certain to gratify daring readers.My favorite line is from the story "Orion": "She realised that the only war worth fighting was the one that raged within; the rest were all diversions."

Sharp,

I enjoyed reading Winterson in a short-story form for a change. Working within the confines of a shorter structure lends unusual economy to her generally spiraling imagery; she's more direct and paints with a somewhat broader stroke. I was delighted to experience a wide range of perspectives on a wide range of topics. "The 24-Hour Dog" works on so many levels I want to teach it in a writing class. I'd recommend this to anyone wanting an introduction to Winterson, because here one finds some almost conventional works among stories of almost surreal bent.