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Rating: 
Summary: A few fine stories, others so-so
Review: Highsmith's later work is uneven, and this collection from the 1970's is no exception. There are some truly bizarre stories -- including a sci-fi piece (not typical for her) and a dream-like fantasy called "One for the Islands" -- that simply do not work at all; and "The Pond" is a nasty, depressing tale. However, "Something You Have to Live With," "A Curious Suicide," "Those Awful Dawns" and "Woodrow Wilson's Neck-Tie" are all vintage Highsmith, and make this collection well worth acquiring. "Something" is a very thought-provoking story, and "Dawns" is simply shocking; unforgettable. For the record, I've read a lot of Highsmith's short stories -- which poured prolifically from her pen in late career -- and the only uniformly excellent collection is "Eleven," which features first-rate early tales and is, fortunately, still in print.
Rating:
Summary: A few fine stories, others so-so
Review: Highsmith's later work is uneven, and this collection from the 1970's is no exception. There are some truly bizarre stories -- including a sci-fi piece (not typical for her) and a dream-like fantasy called "One for the Islands" -- that simply do not work at all; and "The Pond" is a nasty, depressing tale. However, "Something You Have to Live With," "A Curious Suicide," "Those Awful Dawns" and "Woodrow Wilson's Neck-Tie" are all vintage Highsmith, and make this collection well worth acquiring. "Something" is a very thought-provoking story, and "Dawns" is simply shocking; unforgettable. For the record, I've read a lot of Highsmith's short stories -- which poured prolifically from her pen in late career -- and the only uniformly excellent collection is "Eleven," which features first-rate early tales and is, fortunately, still in print.
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