Book cover of Complete Short Stories

Book description

Elizabeth Taylor is finally being recognised as an important British author: one of great subtlety, great compassion and great depth - Sarah Waters

Elizabeth Taylor, highly acclaimed author of classic novels such as Angel, A Game of Hide and Seek and Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont, is also renowned for…

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Why read it?

1 author picked Complete Short Stories as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

For a lot of readers, like me, Taylor (1912-75) is a fairly recent discovery.

A fine novelist, she is also one of the best short story writers in the language, and she went on getting better. She is beautifully economical and controlled; she studies failure and loneliness, but without sentimentality. She can be acid or funny or both, and her eye is satirical but also compassionate. She can be comic and heartbreaking at the same time: for example, try the late stories "Flesh" and "The Blossoming". 

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The lamps must be lit, or the stars die. The clocks must be wound, or Time ceases. The Balance between Order and Chaos must be preserved, or Existence crumbles.

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