Runaway: Stories

Rating:
Summary: The Best of Alice Munro
Review: I borrowed "Runaway" from the library. Now that I have read it, I have no choice but to go out and buy it. One read will never suffice.
On the surface the stories seem straight forward, perhaps more so than Munro's other recent books and yet they are rich and complex.
These are stories of great humanity. Outcomes are not predictable and the smallest of decisions can change a life forever. A word not said, a second glance not taken, have huge consequences. The characters and plots do not follow a predictable course as they would in a lesser fiction.
Even the less sympathetic characters are drawn in shades of grey and we feel their pain and humanity. In the title story, a bully of a husband is a complex man who may or may not destroy, depending upon so little. We hold our breath in dread, hoping that those around him tread lightly.
This collection of stories is simply breathtaking and deserves to be savoured again and again.

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Rating:
Summary: Luscious and brilliant
Review: I'm somewhat ashamed to admit that I'm not familiar with this author, or at least wasn't until I read RUNAWAY: STORIES. But what a fan I've become overnight! This incredible look at the human condition and relationships is one of the most moving and enlightening reads I've come across in a while. In a way, I was reminded of Salinger's NINE SHORT STORIES with their insightful peering into the human heart. Some of these little stories are connnected, and, in fact, some of the stories are not so small. Munro's narratives can sometimes take many pages, but there's a reason for each and every word. I also very much enjoyed the collection of short stories by author Jackson McCrae, titled THE CHILDREN'S CORNER. These too are brilliant and each one is expertly crafted and suited to the subject material the author is writing about.

Rating:
Summary: Murno in top form
Review: One of the best collection of short stories ever to come out, RUNAWAY captured my attention from the very first sentence until the last. The only other book I've read that gave me this many goose-bumps was Jackson McCrae's THE CHILDREN'S CORNER (another collection of short stories dealing with many of the same issues Munro tackles. I just can't recommend this book enough.

Rating:
Summary: A book club pick
Review: Our book club recently picked this collection of short stories along with two others of the same ilk--a rare thing for us to do. While we thoroughly enjoyed David Eggers "How We Are Hungry" and Jackson McCrae's "The Children's Corner," we found Munro's collection to be the best thing we've come across in months. The sheer amount of territory covered in these sometimes no-so-short stories is remarkable and Munro's writing style should win over even the most irritable critic of this genre. Don't pass this collection by.

Rating:
Summary: A Runaway hit!
Review: Recently I've come across two stellar short story collections, both having similarities and yet completely different. The first I read was McCrae's "The Children's Corner," which contains such a wide scope of feeling and insight into the human emotions that I was just blown away. Then I picked up "Runaway: Stories" by Munro, and I really hit the jackpot. Some stories in the Munro are connected and some are not. Still, you should read these in the order they are presented as that does have some impact on what happens and makes for a nice "rhythm" for the whole book.

Rating:
Summary: Inspirational
Review: This is a beautifully written work and a pleasure to read. I had not read Munro before until I laid my hands on this book. That is why I consider this book as a revelation .The stories are heart-touching, full of lessons and inspirational. The characters are rich, vividly drawn and genuine. I must add that the stories are very insightful, and with that comes the boundlessness and timelessness of it all, as they show how small events can change lives, and how different those events appear to us after. Munro's unique portrayal of everyday aspects of life is rare around and the richness of it will make you want to read all of her other books. Most of the stories tell us how the characters that are easy to relate to are changed by events for forever The fact that this book is a series of well written stories that delve into the thoughts and dreams of the characters, thoughts and dreams that we all share, makes RUNAWAY and the other stories a recommended read. It is a superbly written work that takes its time to work its charm on you.

Also recommended: THE USURPER by Janvier Tisi

Rating:
Summary: Runaway home
Review: This is the newest collection of stories by Canadian writer Alice Munro. The RUNAWAY stories are miraculous, encapsulating ideas and themes from anything and everything. But they're not mundane. Rather, they're fraught with lessons in life that will make the hair stand up on the back of your neck. Some of them start out innocently enough, but just wait, for in Munro's capable hands these seemingly simple tales become much more. One story, "Soon" and two others, are connected, and indeed connections run throughout this stellar group of tales.

Also must very highly recommend another collection of short stories: THE CHILDREN'S CORNER by Jackson McCrae. Equally brilliant, funny, disturbing, and lush.

Rating:
Summary: Munro and her book
Review: When recommending a book to someone, I try to keep in mind what they're interested in. The joy of Munro's books is that you don't have to do this-they're really about any and everything and the writing is so accessible and intelligent that anyone can pick these up and like them. If you enjoyed Jackson McCrae's THE CHILDREN'S CORNER or David Egger's HOW WE ARE HUNGRY, then you'll love Munro's latest collection. Of all the stories in this staggering little bunch, "Powers" was, for me, the most riveting. Dealing with a young woman who has the ability to read the future, her escapades start the ball rolling (not always in a good direction) for family and friends. Munro is a Canadian, and one might suspect she would be somewhat limited in her material. Not so. These stories are filled with insight that cuts across geography and time. If you enjoy good writing that takes its time to work its charm on you, then I strongly suggest you try RUNAWAY. If you haven't read the Eggers or the McCrae yet, those are musts. With the short story form coming back into vogue, these are all winners.

Rating:
Summary: A Shocking Disappointment
Review: Working in a bookstore, and being an avid reader of Canadian fiction, I've always wanted to read Alice Munro's short-story collections because of her international reputation as one of Canada's literary treasures. After "Runaway" won the Giller, I put down everything I was reading at the time and decided to finally acquaint myself with Munro's writing once and for all. The first story, the title story, I rather enjoyed. But then it was all downhill after that. After the fifth story I just gave up. I couldn't go on. The stories were well written, there's no question, but I'm afraid there wasn't much "story" in this short story collection at all. And the titles, all single words (Chance, Passion, Silence...), in a way mocking pretentious titles of bad fiction, when in fact the mockery doesn't seem intended at all. If it is, it's not reflected in the pieces. And I wanted so badly to like this collection. I just don't see what all the fuss is about. I will definitely give Munro another chance sometime in the future, because her accolades practically command it. But at the moment, I must admit, I'm both perplexed and dismayed at my response to this latest offering from an obviously very talented writer. Oh well.