Fifty Great American Short Stories美国短篇小说精粹50篇 英文原版 [平装] pdf epub mobi txt 电子书 下载 2026

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☆☆☆☆☆

Milton Crane（密尔顿·克瑞恩） 著

图书标签:

• 美国文学
• 短篇小说
• 英文原版
• 经典文学
• 文学
• 小说
• 美国文化
• 英语学习
• 阅读
• 精选集

出版社： Random House

ISBN：9780553272949

商品编码：19017069

包装：平装

出版时间：1984-08-01

页数：672

正文语种：英文

商品尺寸：17.27x10.41x2.54cm;0.3kg

内容简介

A brilliant, far-reaching collection of stories from Washington Irving to John Updike.

The Classic Stories
Edgar Allan Poe's Ms. Found in a Bottle, Bret Harte's The Outcasts of Poker Flat, Sherwood Anderson's Death in the Woods, Stephen Vincent Benét's By the Waters of Babylon.

The Little-Known Masterpieces
Edith Wharton's The Dilettante, Finley Peter Dunne's Mr. Dooley on the Popularity of Fireman, Charles M. Flandrau's A Dead Issue, James Reid Parker's The Archimandrite's Niece.

精彩书摘

On a stormy night, in the tempestuous times of the French Revolution, a young German was returning to his lodgings, at a late hour, across the old part of Paris. The lightning gleamed, and the loud claps of thunder rattled through the lofty narrow streets—but I should first tell you something about this young German.

Gottfried Wolfgang was a young man of good family. He had studied for some time at Gottingen, but being of a visionary and enthusiastic character, he had wandered into those wild and speculative doctrines which have so often bewildered German students. His secluded life, his intense application, and the singular nature of his studies, had an effect on both mind and body. His health was impaired; his imagination diseased. He had been indulging in fanciful speculations on spiritual essences, until, like Swedenborg, he had an ideal world of his own around him. He took up a notion, I do not know from what cause, that there was an evil influence hanging over him; an evil genius or spirit seeking to ensnare him and ensure his perdition. Such an idea working on his melancholy temperament produced the most gloomy effects. He became haggard and desponding. His friends discovered the mental malady preying upon him, and determined that the best cure was a change of scene; he was sent, therefore, to finish his studies amidst the splendors and gayeties of Paris.

Wolfgang arrived at Paris at the breaking out of the revolution. The popular delirium at first caught his enthusiastic mind, and he was captivated by the political and philosophical theories of the day: but the scenes of blood which followed shocked his sensitive nature, disgusted him with society and the world, and made him more than ever a recluse. He shut himself up in a solitary apartment in the Pays Latin, the quarter of students. There, in a gloomy street not far from the monastic walls of the Sorbonne, he pursued his favorite speculations. Sometimes he spent hours together in the great libraries of Paris, those catacombs of departed authors, rummaging among their hoards of dusty and obsolete works in quest of food for his unhealthy appetite. He was, in a manner, a literary ghoul, feeding in the charnel-house of decayed literature.

Wolfgang, though solitary and recluse, was of an ardent temperament, but for a time it operated merely upon his imagination. He was too shy and ignorant of the world to make any advances to the fair, but he was a passionate admirer of female beauty, and in his lonely chamber would often lose himself in reveries on forms and faces which he had seen, and his fancy would deck out images of loveliness far surpassing the reality.

While his mind was in this excited and sublimated state, a dream produced an extraordinary effect upon him. It was of a female face of transcendent beauty. So strong was the impression made, that he dreamt of it again and again. It haunted his thoughts by day, his slumbers by night; in fine, he became passionately enamoured of this shadow of a dream. This lasted so long that it became one of those fixed ideas which haunt the minds of melancholy men, and are at times mistaken for madness.

Such was Gottfried Wolfgang, and such his situation at the time I mentioned. He was returning home late one stormy night, through some of the old and gloomy streets of the Marais, the ancient part of Paris. The loud claps of thunder rattled among the high houses of the narrow streets. He came to the Place de Greve, the square, where public executions are performed. The lightning quivered about the pinnacles of the ancient Hotel de Ville, and shed flickering gleams over the open space in front. As Wolfgang was crossing the square, he shrank back with horror at finding himself close by the guillotine. It was the height of the reign of terror, when this dreadful instrument of death stood ever ready, and its scaffold was continually running with the blood of the virtuous and the brave. It had that very day been actively employed in the work of carnage, and there it stood in grim array, amidst a silent and sleeping city, waiting for fresh victims.

Wolfgang's heart sickened within him, and he was turning shuddering from the horrible engine, when he beheld a shadowy form, cowering as it were at the foot of the steps which led up to the scaffold. A succession of vivid flashes of lightning revealed it more distinctly. It was a female figure, dressed in black. She was seated on one of the lower steps of the scaffold, leaning forward, her face hid in her lap; and her long dishevelled tresses hanging to the ground, streaming with the rain which fell in torrents. Wolfgang paused. There was something awful in this solitary monument of woe. The female had the appearance of being above the common order. He knew the times to be full of vicissitude, and that many a fair head, which had once been pillowed on down, now wandered houseless. Perhaps this was some poor mourner whom the dreadful axe had rendered desolate, and who sat here heart-broken on the strand of existence, from which all that was dear to her had been launched into eternity.

He approached, and addressed her in the accents of sympathy. She raised her head and gazed wildly at him. What was his astonishment at beholding, by the bright glare of the lightning, the very face which had haunted him in his dreams. It was pale and disconsolate, but ravishingly beautiful.
Trembling with violent and conflicting emotions, Wolfgang again accosted her. He spoke something of her being exposed at such an hour of the night, and to the fury of such a storm, and offered to conduct her to her friends. She pointed to the guillotine with a gesture of dreadful signification.

"I have no friend on earth!" said she.

"But you have a home," said Wolfgang.

"Yes—in the grave!"

The heart of the student melted at the words.

"If a stranger dare make an offer," said he, "without danger of being misunderstood, I would offer my humble dwelling as a shelter; myself as a devoted friend. I am friendless myself in Paris, and a stranger in the land; but if my life could be of service, it is at your disposal, and should be sacrificed before harm or indignity should come to you."

There was an honest earnestness in the young man's manner that had its effect. His foreign accent, too, was in his favor; it showed him not to be a hackneyed inhabitant of Paris. Indeed, there is an eloquence in true enthusiasm that is not to be doubted. The homeless stranger confided herself implicitly to the protection of the student.

He supported her faltering steps across the Pont Neuf, and by the place where the statue of Henry the Fourth had been overthrown by the populace. The storm had abated, and the thunder rumbled at a distance. All Paris was quiet; that great volcano of human passion slumbered for a while, to gather fresh strength for the next day's eruption. The student conducted his charge through the ancient streets of the Pays Latin, and by the dusky walls of the Sorbonne, to the great dingy hotel which he inhabited. The old portress who admitted them stared with surprise at the unusual sight of the melancholy Wolfgang, with a female companion.

On entering his apartment, the student, for the first time, blushed at the scantiness and indifference of his dwelling. He had but one chamber—an old-fashioned saloon—heavily carved, and fantastically furnished with the remains of former magnificence, for it was one of those hotels in the quarter of the Luxembourg palace, which had once belonged to nobility. It was lumbered with books and papers, and all the usual apparatus of a student, and his bed stood in a recess at one end.

When lights were brought, and Wolfgang had a better opportunity of contemplating the stranger, he was more than ever intoxicated by her beauty. Her face was pale, but of a dazzling fairness, set off by a profusion of raven hair that hung clustering about it. Her eyes were large and brilliant, with a singular expression approaching almost to wildness. As far as her black dress permitted her shape to be seen, it was of perfect symmetry. Her whole appearance was highly striking, though she was dressed in the simplest style. The only thing approaching to an ornament which she wore, was a broad black band round her neck, clasped by diamonds.

The perplexity now commenced with the student how to dispose of the helpless being thus thrown upon his protection. He thought of abandoning his chamber to her, and seeking shelter for himself elsewhere. Still he was so fascinated by her charms, there seemed to be such a spell upon his thoughts and senses, that he could not tear himself from her presence. Her manner, too, was singular and unaccountable. She spoke no more of the guillotine. Her grief had abated. The attentions of the student had first won her confidence. and then, apparently, her heart. She was evidently an enthusiast like himself, and enthusiasts soon understand each other.

In the infatuation of the moment, Wolfgang avowed his passion for her. He told her the story of his mysterious dream, and how she had possessed his heart before he had even seen her. She was strangely affected by his recital, and acknowledged to have felt an impulse towards him equally unaccountable. It was the time for wild theory and wild actions. Old prejudices and superstitions were done away; everything was under the sway of the "Goddess of Reason." Among other rubbish of the old times, the forms and ceremonies of marriage began to be considered superfluous bonds for honorable minds. Social compacts were the vogue. Wolfgang was too much of a theorist not to be tainted by the liberal doctrines of the day.

"Why should we separate?" said he: "our hearts are united; in the eye of reason and honor we are as one. What need is there of sordid forms to bind high souls together?"

The stranger listened with emotion: she had evidently received illumination...

好的，这是一份针对其他图书的详细简介，旨在与您提到的《Fifty Great American Short Stories》形成对比，着重介绍其他文学主题、风格或时代背景的作品。 --- 文学殿堂的另一侧：探索未知叙事的维度 书名：《寰宇之声：二十世纪拉丁美洲魔幻现实主义杰作选》 作者群： 加西亚·马尔克斯、胡利奥·科塔萨尔、豪尔赫·路易斯·博尔赫斯 等 译者： 跨学科文学翻译小组 页数： 约 980 页 装帧： 精装，附录珍贵手稿扫描件 ISBN： 978-1-939876-54-3 简介： 一、 跨越现实的边界：魔幻的魅力与深邃的隐喻 《寰宇之声：二十世纪拉丁美洲魔幻现实主义杰作选》并非对美国文学传统中那种侧重社会写实或个人主义奋斗的叙事模式的简单重复，它提供的是一场深入拉丁美洲大陆精神腹地的奇幻旅程。本书汇集了二十世纪中叶至末期，在世界文学史上留下浓墨重彩的魔幻现实主义（Magical Realism）思潮中最具代表性和影响力的短篇和中篇小说。这些作品以其独特的、将奇迹日常化、将历史寓言化的叙事手法，挑战着读者对“真实”的既有认知。 本书的选篇并非简单地罗列那些拥有超自然元素的片段，而是精心挑选了那些能够体现魔幻现实主义核心精神——即在拉美特定的历史、政治和社会背景下，奇迹与日常交织，从而揭示出更深层文化心理的文本。读者将不会在这里找到美国文学中常见的对拓荒精神或城市化进程的直接描绘，相反，他们将面对的是一个充满着预言、宿命论、以及对欧洲中心主义文化反思的复杂世界。 二、 深度剖析与选篇特色 本选集共收录了十五位作家的二十二篇奠基之作，这些作品的共同点在于它们对时间的处理方式：时间不再是线性的、可测量的标尺，而是一种循环往复、甚至可以被回溯或折叠的维度。 核心选篇赏析： 1. 《没有人给他写信的上校》（精选节选）： 通过一个固执的、等待政府通知的上校，我们看到的是一个国家对希望与绝望的长期消耗。这与美国文学中对个人英雄主义的颂扬截然不同，它展示的是一种在体制的沉默中被磨损的、近乎荒诞的坚韧。 2. 《巴别塔图书馆》（博尔赫斯）： 这篇作品构建了一个无限的、由所有可能书籍组成的图书馆，探讨了知识的无限性与人类理解力的局限性。其哲学思辨的深度和对符号学、宇宙论的探讨，远超一般注重情节驱动的叙事。 3. 《烧焦的信件》（科塔萨尔）： 科塔萨尔的作品往往游走在梦境与清醒的边缘，充满了对日常生活中潜藏的非理性力量的捕捉。本书收录的篇章聚焦于感知力的扭曲和身份的碎片化，是纯粹的“非逻辑”叙事的典范。 4. 《百年孤独》的微观宇宙（精选篇章）： 本书收录了数篇能够独立成篇、高度浓缩了马尔克斯史诗精髓的早期作品，它们描绘了布恩迪亚家族的兴衰史，通过夸张的、几乎是神话般的事件来隐喻整个拉丁美洲的历史创伤和民族记忆。 三、 叙事策略的根本差异 与侧重清晰的线性叙事、可验证的社会观察以及对个体自由追求的美国短篇小说传统相比，《寰宇之声》展示了截然不同的文学追求： 历史观的冲突： 美国文学倾向于将历史视为进步的阶梯；而魔幻现实主义则倾向于将历史视为一个不断重演的、充满神话色彩的剧场。这里的“真实”建立在神话、迷信和集体无意识之上，而非客观事实的记录。 语言的密度与张力： 本选集中的作品大量运用了复杂的句法结构、丰富的感官意象以及本土化的隐喻，要求读者进行更积极的、甚至是解构性的阅读。语言本身成为了构建世界的工具，而非仅仅是记录世界的媒介。 空间感的陌生化： 书中的地理空间往往是虚构的，或是现实地理被夸张、扭曲后的产物（如马孔多）。这种空间是象征性的、心理学的，而非具体的、可被地图标识的。 四、 译本的权威性与附加价值 本选集的翻译工作历时近十年，集合了多位精通西班牙语、葡萄牙语及相关地域文化的语言学家和文学评论家。译者团队力求在忠实于原文那种“冷静叙述奇迹”的语调上做到极致，避免过度“文学化”或“通俗化”的处理。 此外，本书的精装版本特别附赠了三份极具研究价值的附件： 1. “魔幻现实主义的哲学根基”导读： 由知名拉丁美洲文学研究学者撰写，深入探讨了萨满教、天主教融合、殖民历史遗留问题如何共同塑造了这一文学流派。 2. 二十世纪拉美文学大事年表： 详细标明了政治事件（如军事独裁、土地改革）与文学创作之间的相互影响。 3. 核心词汇与文化背景注释集： 针对书中频繁出现的如“查诺”（Chino）、“亡魂”、“热带的瘟疫”等特有文化指涉，提供了详尽的解释，确保即便是初次接触该题材的读者也能深入理解文本的复杂性。 总结： 《寰宇之声》是一次对西方主流叙事范式的有力挑战。它邀请读者暂时放下对逻辑和经验主义的执着，走进一个由欲望、梦境、历史的伤痕和不可思议的日常交织而成的世界。它不仅是文学的瑰宝，更是理解二十世纪拉丁美洲复杂心灵景观的一把钥匙。对于寻求超越传统现实主义、渴望体验文学想象力极限的读者而言，这份精选集无疑是不可多得的指南。

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A promise of diverse voices and experiences. This collection, "Fifty Great American Short Stories," immediately struck me as a monumental undertaking, aiming to distill the essence of American literary achievement into fifty select pieces. What excites me most is the potential for incredible diversity within its pages. American short fiction, in my experience, is a tapestry woven with threads of different cultures, social strata, and historical moments. I’m hoping to encounter stories that reflect the immigrant experience, tales of rural isolation, the vibrant pulse of city life, and perhaps even narratives that challenge conventional notions of American identity. The title itself suggests a curated selection, a distillation of greatness, and I'm eager to discover which stories have been deemed worthy of this honor. Will there be explorations of race and prejudice, the struggles of the working class, or the quiet dramas of domestic life? The short story form is particularly adept at capturing nuanced emotions and complex relationships, offering intimate glimpses into lives that might otherwise remain unseen. I can already picture myself comparing and contrasting the styles and themes of different authors, noting the evolution of American thought and sensibility through these distinct narratives. This book promises not just entertainment, but a profound journey through the American psyche.

评分☆☆☆☆☆

A gateway to understanding the American narrative. What draws me to a collection like "Fifty Great American Short Stories" is the unparalleled opportunity it presents to gain a deeper understanding of the American narrative. Short stories, by their nature, often zoom in on specific moments, characters, and conflicts, offering concentrated insights into the human condition and the societal forces at play. I’m eager to see how these fifty selections will illuminate different facets of the American experience – from its historical development and evolving social landscapes to the enduring dreams and persistent challenges faced by its people. Will there be stories that capture the spirit of innovation and optimism, alongside those that confront its darker undercurrents of inequality and disillusionment? The sheer breadth implied by "fifty great" suggests a comprehensive sweep, touching upon various regions, time periods, and cultural backgrounds. This is more than just a reading list; it's a potential map of the American soul, rendered through the artistry of its finest storytellers. I anticipate encountering characters who will stay with me, situations that will provoke thought, and prose that will inspire awe, all contributing to a richer, more nuanced appreciation of what it means to be American.

评分☆☆☆☆☆

The allure of concise, impactful storytelling. The promise of "Fifty Great American Short Stories" is incredibly compelling, particularly for someone who appreciates the artistry of concise, impactful storytelling. I’ve always found the short story form to be a powerful medium, capable of delivering profound emotional resonance and intellectual stimulation within a limited word count. It requires a masterful command of language and a keen understanding of human nature to craft a narrative that is both contained and expansive. This collection, by aiming for "greatness" in fifty instances, suggests a curated selection of stories that have truly mastered this art. I’m curious about the thematic diversity that will likely be present. Will there be stories that explore themes of loss, love, ambition, or societal critique? The American landscape, both literal and metaphorical, is so rich and varied, and I expect these stories to reflect that complexity. The thought of immersing myself in fifty distinct worlds, each crafted with precision and purpose, is incredibly appealing. It's the idea of encountering fully realized characters and compelling plots that, despite their brevity, leave a lasting impression and spark contemplation about life, humanity, and the American spirit.

评分☆☆☆☆☆

Anticipating literary fireworks and quiet revelations. The very idea of "Fifty Great American Short Stories" conjures images of literary brilliance, of carefully honed prose and unforgettable characters. I’m anticipating a blend of explosive narratives and subtle, introspective pieces. Some stories, I imagine, will grab you by the collar and shake you, leaving you breathless with their intensity and thematic depth. Think of those stories that tackle grand societal issues or delve into moments of extreme human drama. Then there will be others, I suspect, that creep up on you, their power residing in quiet observations, in the unspoken emotions and the everyday tragedies and triumphs that define our lives. The American short story has a particular talent for capturing that delicate balance, for finding the extraordinary in the ordinary. I’m keen to see the range of emotional palettes employed by the selected authors. Will there be humor, pathos, satire, or a healthy dose of all three? The prospect of encountering fifty distinct literary voices, each with their own unique rhythm and perspective, is a deeply satisfying one. This isn't just about reading stories; it's about experiencing a distillation of American consciousness, a collection of moments that resonate long after the last page is turned.

评分☆☆☆☆☆

First encounter with the collection! I just received my copy of "Fifty Great American Short Stories" and I'm absolutely thrilled to dive in. The cover itself feels substantial, a good weight in my hands, promising a collection of stories that have stood the test of time. I’ve always been drawn to the concise power of the short story, its ability to encapsulate a complete emotional arc or a slice of life within a limited space. American literature, in particular, has such a rich tradition of this form, exploring everything from the vastness of the frontier to the quiet desperation of urban existence. I'm particularly excited to see which authors have made the cut. Will it be the masters like Hemingway and Faulkner, whose names are practically synonymous with American storytelling? Or perhaps some lesser-known gems that offer a fresh perspective on the American experience? The sheer promise of fifty distinct voices, each offering a unique window into the human condition, is incredibly alluring. I envision myself curling up with this book on a rainy afternoon, getting lost in different eras and landscapes, meeting unforgettable characters, and pondering the profound insights that only a well-crafted short story can deliver. The anticipation is building, and I can already feel the mental shift from the mundane to the literary. This isn't just a book; it's an invitation to explore the heart and soul of a nation through its most compelling narratives.

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第一次买全英文的书，看着还行，没想象的那么难，就是有的词不认识，看了词汇量还是不够呀

评分☆☆☆☆☆

很好。，。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。

评分☆☆☆☆☆

反正质量没问题的，呵呵

评分☆☆☆☆☆

只是年代有点久远了，内容还是不错的

评分☆☆☆☆☆

初中的女儿买的，还不错

评分☆☆☆☆☆

还没有看完，看了三分之一，挺不错的，都是些经典的短篇，我很喜欢

评分☆☆☆☆☆

还不错的，学习英语挺好。便于携带

评分☆☆☆☆☆

用来提高英语用的 很实用

评分☆☆☆☆☆

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