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klook

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34. "Straw" by Gene Wolfe.

Sat Oct 19, 2019, 03:14 PM

Oct 2019

It's a very different kind of "what-if" science fiction story, set in a past where the hot air balloon has been invented hundreds of years earlier than it actually was.

Sounds strange, but it's very well done. Wolfe sucked me into the world of this story right away, and I found the characters and setting compelling. When it was over I was sorry he hadn't expanded it into a novel.

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Do you have a favorite "obscure" short story? [View all] red dog 1 Oct 2019 OP

I love Harlan Ellison's writing. Aristus Oct 2019 #1

The Conversion of the Jews The Wizard Oct 2019 #2

more, more!! NJCher Oct 2019 #3

"Raft" by Larry Tritten red dog 1 Oct 2019 #9

"Odour of Chrysanthemums", by D. H. Lawrence. nt Atticus Oct 2019 #4

maybe not so obscure, but "Bartleby the Scrivener" diva77 Oct 2019 #5

I hated this story nt yellowdogintexas Oct 2019 #81

more a collection. john collier's fancies & goodnights. pansypoo53219 Oct 2019 #6

I have read some of these. yellowdogintexas Oct 2019 #83

the whole book is pretty good. i just bought a reprint on impulse. pretty good for 1930's. pansypoo53219 Oct 2019 #88

Young Goodman Brown, Nathael Hawthorne sarge43 Oct 2019 #7

"The Wendigo," by Algernon Blackwood Glorfindel Oct 2019 #8

De-fa-go jpak Oct 2019 #39

eeeek! Glorfindel Oct 2019 #40

Oh this flame and fiery height! jpak Oct 2019 #43

"Three Bananas" by Larry Tritten red dog 1 Oct 2019 #10

Also DH Lawrence RobinA Oct 2019 #11

Arthur C. Clarke (two stories): lastlib Oct 2019 #12

Oh those are good. miyazaki Oct 2019 #16

"The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas" by Ursula K. LeGuinn Glorfindel Oct 2019 #68

I was always impressed with Ms. LeGuin,,, lastlib Oct 2019 #69

Yes. "The Wind's Twelve Quarters: Short Stories by Ursula Le Guin" Glorfindel Oct 2019 #71

Yes, the quintessential American short story klook Oct 2019 #76

This message was self-deleted by its author geralmar Oct 2019 #13

Is that Hannes Bok doing the cover...? First Speaker Oct 2019 #15

This message was self-deleted by its author geralmar Oct 2019 #18

The Devil's Crapper by Lawrence Walsh yankeepants Oct 2019 #14

"It", by Theodore Sturgeon... First Speaker Oct 2019 #17

This message was self-deleted by its author geralmar Oct 2019 #19

"The Destructors" by Graham Greene Paladin Oct 2019 #20

Just about anything by William Tenn. n/t malthaussen Oct 2019 #21

Anything by H.H. Munro ("Saki"). The Velveteen Ocelot Oct 2019 #22

Terry Bisson's "They're Made Out Of Meat" -- admittedly not obscure at all, really. eppur_se_muova Oct 2019 #23

"Bears Discover Fire" is one of my favorite stories! klook Oct 2019 #33

A one-act play, really, but frogmarch Oct 2019 #24

"The Most Dangerous Game" DeminPennswoods Oct 2019 #25

That one was brilliant. DFW Oct 2019 #36

Another was "The Storm" by McKNIGHT MALMAR ailsagirl Oct 2019 #45

"The Ransom of Red Chief" DeminPennswoods Oct 2019 #46

Me too! ailsagirl Oct 2019 #61

A book of short stories by Donald Ray Pollock. AJT Oct 2019 #26

Speaking of Southern Gothic, my favorite short story of that genre is LuvNewcastle Oct 2019 #78

Don't remember the writer, or the name pnwest Oct 2019 #27

I love this description and I want to find this story. n/t ms liberty Oct 2019 #41

IKR?! pnwest Oct 2019 #42

Glorfindel identified the story, see their reply with a link to it! ms liberty Oct 2019 #54

Thank you for the heads up! That's amazing! pnwest Oct 2019 #62

Check out "Reunion," by Arthur C. Clarke, written in 1971 Glorfindel Oct 2019 #48

Thank you so much for finding this! ms liberty Oct 2019 #53

It's my pleasure. Glorfindel Oct 2019 #59

I am gobsmacked you found it! Thank you pnwest Oct 2019 #63

I've read it! It's an Arthur C. Clarke story! lastlib Oct 2019 #70

tough one... hills like white elephants. ..maybe Kurt V. Oct 2019 #28

It's plenty weird, but... FiveGoodMen Oct 2019 #29

The Machine Stops by E. M. Forster, here is a PDF braddy Oct 2019 #30

The Body Politic Bayard Oct 2019 #31

Tin Soldier -- Joan D. Vinge hunter Oct 2019 #32

"Straw" by Gene Wolfe. klook Oct 2019 #34

"Serendipity" by Larry Tritten red dog 1 Oct 2019 #35

Lost Legacy DFW Oct 2019 #37

Sredni Vashtar by Saki DFW Oct 2019 #38

Me, too. I love that story! Glorfindel Oct 2019 #47

Sredni Vashtar the beautiful! n/t DFW Oct 2019 #49

It's in The Chronicles of Clovis, and it's free at gutenberg.org hunter Oct 2019 #58

A really creepy one was "The Distributor" by Richard Matheson ailsagirl Oct 2019 #44

One very off the wall story: The Unpleasant Profession Jonathan Hoag DFW Oct 2019 #50

"The Playground" by Ray Bradbury Peregrine Took Oct 2019 #51

"The Door" - E.B. White flor-de-jasmim Oct 2019 #52

Stephen King's "Night Shift." CrispyQ Oct 2019 #55

I loved Hearts in Atlantis except for one thing. nolabear Oct 2019 #87

A Piece of Steak Jack London cachukis Oct 2019 #56

"My House shall be called the House of Prayer" by William Hope Hodgeson and aka-chmeee Oct 2019 #57

Just about anything from M R James. RGinNJ Oct 2019 #60

Stories of Your Life and Others Polly Hennessey Oct 2019 #64

"The Kool Aid Wino" by Richard Brautigan red dog 1 Oct 2019 #65

Great story! MatthewHatesTrump2 Oct 2019 #85

"Gopher in the Gilly" by Harlan Ellison red dog 1 Oct 2019 #66

"When We Were Wolves", Jon Billman... 2naSalit Oct 2019 #67

Mother to the World by Richard Wilson TuxedoKat Oct 2019 #72

Lot by Ward Moore. n/t MicaelS Oct 2019 #73

The Lottery by Shirley Jackson wnylib Oct 2019 #74

"Looking For a Legend" by Larry Tritten red dog 1 Oct 2019 #75

I remember reading that one....It's about looking for Wyatt Earp's grave, right? MatthewHatesTrump2 Oct 2019 #86

Builds a Fire - Jack London Bradshaw3 Oct 2019 #77

Don't know about obscure, but my first thoughts are: petronius Oct 2019 #79

Sandkings was what made me start the Song of Ice and Fire series cemaphonic Oct 2019 #84

This message was self-deleted by its author petronius Oct 2019 #80

Rappaccini's Daughter by Nathaniel Hawthorne nt yellowdogintexas Oct 2019 #82

One by T. C. Boyle, I don't remember the name... Ohiya Oct 2019 #89

"The Autopsy" by Michael Shea MatthewHatesTrump2 Oct 2019 #90

"obscure" in the sense of: I wanna *FIND* it!1 About the 1919 World Series UTUSN Oct 2019 #91

Was that player "Shoeless Joe Jackson? MatthewHatesTrump2 Nov 2019 #95

Probably, Say-it-isn't-so wasn't the focus of the story UTUSN Nov 2019 #97

"Africa Screams" by Larry Tritten red dog 1 Oct 2019 #92

"Revelation" by Flannery O'Connor smirkymonkey Oct 2019 #93

"In a Grove" Harker Oct 2019 #94

"Gopher in the Gilly" by Harlan Ellison MatthewHatesTrump2 Nov 2019 #96

"The Getaway Lunch," by Tibor Fisher PETRUS Nov 2019 #98

"Keyboard" by Harlan Ellison red dog 1 Nov 2019 #99

The Shepard by Fredrick Forsythe jrandom421 Nov 2019 #100

I agree with you about "Driving in the Spikes" MatthewHatesTrump2 Nov 2019 #101

Not sure it qualifies as "obscure" but "The Three Most Important Things in Life" by Harlan Ellison MatthewHatesTrump2 Nov 2019 #102

"Trout Fishing in America Shorty" MatthewHatesTrump2 Nov 2019 #103

"In Video Veritas" by Larry Tritten red dog 1 Nov 2019 #104

"Eight O'Clock in the Morning"...Ray Nelson Tikki Nov 2019 #105

"A Tiny Feast" by Chris Adrian MatthewHatesTrump2 Nov 2019 #106

"The Hospice" by Robert Aickman MatthewHatesTrump2 Nov 2019 #107

"Walking Hills" by D.R. McBride red dog 1 Nov 2019 #108

"Delivery" by Michael Shea red dog 1 Nov 2019 #109

Another very good "obscure" short story is "Dinner Time" by Russell Edson MatthewHatesTrump2 Nov 2019 #110

"The Stone Boy" by Gina Berriault (1957) MatthewHatesTrump2 Nov 2019 #111

"Wemer" by Jo Ann Beard MatthewHatesTrump2 Nov 2019 #112

"Who Will Love the River God" by Emily Newland red dog 1 Nov 2019 #113

"The Great Martian Pyramid Hoax" by Jerry Oltion red dog 1 Nov 2019 #114

Just now watching Hallmark 'drama' of The Gift of the Magi, elleng Nov 2019 #115