I love a short story and admire anyone who can craft a successful one. Thanks to publishers like Persephone Books and the British Library, it's becoming ever easier to find and enjoy works that would otherwise be lost to history. Persephone has published quite a few short story collections, and I have recently finished 'The Woman Novelist and Other Stories' by Diana Gardner.
Woman's Work
'The Woman Novelist and Other Stories' is a collection of fifteen stories by writer and artist Diana Gardner. Written in the 1930s and 1940s, they capture a female perspective of life at the time, from the woman novelist of the title tale to spiteful land girls, manipulative wannabe sea-farers to enamoured servants. Many are poignant reflections on a woman's lot at the time, such as 'Miss Carmichael's Bed', the story the last days of a spinster's household, or feature wilful females determined to get what society says they should have, as in 'Crossing the Atlantic'. 'The Couple from London' and 'Mrs Lumley' build page-turner tension, while 'The Splash' and 'The Pirate' wittily satirise male entitlement.
Musings of a Lady
Flicking through 'The Woman Novelist...' again, I was struck by how varied the stories are, not just in length but also genre. Some verge on melodrama or romance, while others are darkly funny or have more in common with Hitchcockian thrillers. The end of 'Miss Carmichael's Bed' brought a tear to my eye, I was shocked by the callous antics of 'The Land Girl' and the stowaway in 'Crossing the Atlantic' and couldn't help smiling at 'The Pirate' and his arrogance. As an artist as well as a writer, Gardner was clearly a keen observer and noticer of what was going on around her, and used what she saw very effectively to explore character and situations.
Changing Styles
Readers are spoilt these days as writers sweat over attention-grabbing beginnings and sharply twisting ends. These older works, however, represent a different time in both content and style, meaning that you have to work a little bit harder than you may be used to. These stories are subtle and thoughtful, taking their time to mull over the theme and characters in a way that probably wouldn't be encouraged today. These stories read like someone processing what they see around them, so take patience to appreciate as well as time.
Overall
'The Woman Novelist and Other Stories' is a charming and insightful collection of short stories from the early and pre-war years. It is a marvellously varied collection from a highly perceptive middle-class woman, meaning you don't quite know what you'll get when you start a new piece, although you can be sure it will be thoughtful and tell you something about the society of the time. I'm sure I'll notice something different with each re-reading.
Now, what next...?
'The Woman Novelist and Other Stories' by Diana Gardner was published by Persephone Books in 2006. It is book no. 64 in their catalogue and this review is based on a copy kindly given to me by the publisher.
