An old horse like me,

Put out to pasture,

Still has a longing for some oats in his diet.

Not in large quantities, mind you,

But in small and divided doses.

It's like a little treat that brings back memories of my younger days,

When I used to gallop freely across the fields.

Even though I'm now enjoying the slower pace of retirement,

Those oats still hold a special place in my heart.

They give me a bit of energy and a sense of satisfaction,

As I munch on them in the gentle breeze.

So, even in my old age,

I continue to cherish those small doses of oats,

As they are a part of who I am and what I've been through.

I gave this collection three stars.

The reason is that I found the stories in it to be rather hit or miss.

There were some truly outstanding stories that really impressed me. They had engaging plots, well-developed characters, and a certain charm that made them a joy to read.

However, on the other hand, there were also some stories that didn't do much for me. They seemed平淡无奇, lacking in originality or depth.

The author is known for being insanely prolific, which is quite an achievement. But I guess with that comes the risk of having a fair number of duds in the mix.

It's understandable that not every story can be a winner when so many are being produced.

Overall, while there were some great moments in this collection, it also had its share of disappointments.

4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ stars.

During my initial foray into a survey course on short stories and fiction in college, my professor introduced us to Joyce Carol Oates' timeless short story, "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?". The vivid portrayal of Connie, a young girl thrust into a perilous situation as she matures rapidly under the menacing gaze of an alleged serial killer named Arnold Friend, left an indelible mark on me. Ever since then, I have dipped my toes into Ms. Oates' extensive body of work from time to time.

In 2006, I delved into some of the stories from this anthology, which might be considered Oates' "greatest hits" when it comes to short stories, or an essential collection for those new to her short fiction.

Several stories stood out to me as being horrific, sublime, and deeply interesting.

"The Knife" tells the harrowing tale of Harriet, the wife of a history professor, who is sexually assaulted after a thief ransacks her home while her daughter sleeps downstairs. In a desperate attempt to protect her child, she submits to the assault, leaving her to question if there was a part of her that desired it. She had the opportunity to defend herself when the attacker allows her to hold his weapon, a knife, before the rape occurs.

"Small Avalanches" is a suspenseful story about a girl named Nancy who is pursued by a stranger with the presumed intention of raping her. As they climb a cliff and he chases her, she laughs each time he gets closer until he eventually falls. Her laughter serves as both a defense mechanism against the trauma of a potential rape and a coping mechanism for survival.

"Fat Man, My Love" is Oates' take on the success of her masterpiece "Blonde". It is a disturbing short story that delves into the demented mind of filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock and a woman, loosely based on Tippi Hedren's traumatic experience of filming "The Birds" for him.

"The Lost Brother" and "The Fish Factory" both deal with the themes of sexual assault and the loss of innocence. "The Lost Brother" follows a woman's search for her "genius" brother, a mentally unstable man who was forced to drop out of a promising education at Harvard. Years later, she pursues the idea that he is living in a commune in Maine and meets a man named Elisha who may or may not be her lost brother. She wakes up raped, naked, and with no memory of her family. "The Fish Factory" is a cruel story about a mother consumed by guilt for being too strict with her teenage daughter, who is found raped and murdered.

"The Cousins" is one of the strangest stories I've ever read. It centers around the correspondence between a Holocaust survivor named Rebecca and a retired professor named Freyda, who lives in Lake Worth, FL. Rebecca believes Freyda might be her cousin, but Freyda is often annoyed by Rebecca's earnest letters. The power dynamic between the two begins to shift when Freyda wonders why Rebecca suddenly stops writing. This story intrigued me as I had lived in Lake Worth, FL at one point in my life.

"Spider Boy" is the best story in the collection, on par with "Where Have You Going, Where Have You Been?". It tells the story of a teenager who becomes an unwilling accomplice to his father's crimes of abducting, raping, and murdering transient young boys. His father is a disgraced Republican politician who embodies the essence of a monster. It is a heart-wrenching story about a boy who idolizes his father and then finds himself used as an alibi as his father commits unspeakable acts of horror. He is the spider who lures young boys to their deaths.

Overall, I have read a significant number of Joyce Carol Oates' works, including non-fiction, novels, short stories, and poetry. She is undoubtedly a prolific writer with a vivid imagination, often creating strange and odd stories about yearning and loneliness, or gothic and bloody tales that deal with rape and the loss of innocence.

However, her frequent exploration of sexual assault in many of her books is something that I find difficult to stomach at times. I don't always believe it is necessary to repeatedly write about rape and sexual assault. In books like "We Were the Mulvaney's", "Blonde", "Will You Still Love Me?", "You Must Remember This", and "Because it is Bitter, and Because it is my heart", rape is a recurring theme.

I even read "Rape: A Love Story", which was so gratuitous in its imagery and description of the physical pain of sexual assault that it made me want to vomit. It seems as if Oates' fixation on this theme has gone a bit too far.

Despite my reservations, these stories are nearly perfect and held my attention captive. I feel that I have now read enough of Joyce Carol Oates to last me for a while before I decide to take on her work again.

Lots and lots of stories充斥着暴力与堕落的情节，让人不禁感到压抑和沮丧。然而，在这片荒芜的故事海洋中，也有几颗璀璨的明珠，比如《The Cousins》和《The Hair》。

《The Cousins》讲述了两个表亲之间复杂而又深厚的情感纠葛。他们在成长过程中经历了许多困难和挑战，但始终相互扶持，不离不弃。这个故事充满了温情和感动，让人感受到了亲情的力量。

《The Hair》则是一个关于自我发现和成长的故事。主人公是一个对自己的外貌感到不满的女孩，她总是觉得自己的头发不够漂亮。然而，在一次偶然的机会中，她发现了自己头发的独特之处，并因此而变得自信和勇敢。这个故事告诉我们，每个人都有自己的闪光点，只要我们用心去发现，就能找到属于自己的美丽。

这些故事虽然风格各异，但都有着深刻的内涵和感人的情节。它们让我们看到了人性的美好和复杂，也让我们对生活有了更多的思考和感悟。

Someone really needs to tell me which specific stories I should read from this collection.

The few that I randomly picked seemed to be rather heavy-handed and outdated.

I'm well aware that JCO (Joyce Carol Oates) has some true gems hidden away somewhere, and quite possibly they are in this very collection.

However, up until now, I haven't been able to discover them.

It's a bit frustrating because I know her writing has the potential to be truly remarkable and engaging.

I'm hoping that with some guidance or a better understanding of which stories are the standouts, I can have a more fulfilling reading experience and finally uncover those hidden treasures within this collection.

Maybe there are certain themes or styles that are more characteristic of her best work, and if I could identify those, it would make it easier for me to find the stories that are truly worth my time and attention.

This was truly a beast and a half.

It was not just an ordinary creature, but something that seemed to possess an otherworldly strength and ferocity.

Its size was enormous, towering over everything around it.

Its muscles rippled with power as it moved, and its eyes burned with a fierce and unyielding gaze.

This beast was a force to be reckoned with, and anyone who crossed its path would do so at their own peril.

It was a symbol of raw power and untamed nature, and it commanded respect and畏惧 from all who witnessed it.

Whether it was prowling through the forest or charging into battle, this beast and a half was a sight that would leave a lasting impression on anyone who saw it.

This is a collection of 'new and selected stories', as stated on the cover, penned by Joyce Carol Oates.

I wouldn't necessarily say that 'depressing' is the most accurate way to describe the stories I have perused thus far.

One member in our book club characterized her as having a 'quirky little dark side'.

Most of the stories I've delved into are mere snippets from the lives of diverse characters.

These are the kinds of things that, if they had occurred to you, you would prefer that others not be privy to.

Her writing style is truly engaging, drawing the reader in and making them eager to uncover the next detail of each character's life.

It's as if she has a unique ability to peek into the hidden corners of people's existences and present them in a way that is both captivating and thought-provoking.

Overall, this collection offers a fascinating exploration of the human condition through the eyes of Joyce Carol Oates.

Applause

The room was filled with a quiet applause that seemed to echo through the air. It was a read that had the power to make one linger in thought and purposefully go slow. The language used was like a velvet mousetrap, delicately trapping the reader and holding them in a state of amazement. With each word, the reader was drawn further into the story, unable to break free from its captivating hold. It was as if the author had carefully crafted each sentence to create a world that the reader could lose themselves in. The quiet applause was a testament to the power of the written word and the ability of a good story to touch the hearts and minds of its audience.

Excellent. This is truly a great place to start with Joyce Carol Oates, especially if you have never had the pleasure of reading her works before. Her writing is known for its depth, complexity, and ability to explore the human condition in a profound way.

With her vast body of work, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Whether you are interested in psychological thrillers, literary fiction, or character-driven stories, Oates has it all.

So, what are you waiting for? Dive into the world of Joyce Carol Oates and discover the magic of her words. You won't be disappointed.

I read this collection of Oates' short fiction months ago but simply forgot to log it here on GR.

For those already acquainted with Oates' writing or those looking to get into her work, this is the best introduction I can think of. The stories contained herein give a wide range of examples of Oates' writing over the years and across different styles. From dark fantasy that transports readers to strange and eerie worlds, to realism tinged with desperation and malice that delves deep into the human psyche. There are also atmospheric pieces that ruminate on the darker side of the human heart, a major theme that runs through all of JCO's writing.

If you like literary fiction with a darker shade to it, then Oates is the writer for you. And if you're looking for a captivating book of short fiction with a dark, mature nature, this will be a go-to. It offers a diverse selection of tales that will keep you engaged from start to finish.

For those looking into an entryway into Joyce Carol Oates' massive oeuvre, I would definitely start here. These stories were picked by Oates herself to give readers the best representational works from her career spanning the 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's and the aughts. The exceptions here are short, vignette-type pieces she writes and her forays into gothic/supernatural fiction. But for those looking into getting into her more realistic tales of the macabre and her distinctly menacing and grim nature of the world, this is the perfect starting point.

Oates is a fantastic writer and just about everything by her is well-worth the read. With a huge output of fiction, novels, essays, poetry, plays, criticism and plays, there's lots to explore. And these stories are no exception. They are perfect for the long-time Oates fan or the aspiring Oates reader alike.

My personal favorites in this collection include "Where Are You Going? Where Have You Been?", "In a Region of Ice", "Last Days", "Small Avalanches", "Tryst", "Life After High School", "Will You Always Love Me?", "Swimmers", "Raven's Wing", "Heat", "Gathering Squall", "Our Wall", "At the Seminary", and "Cousins". Each of these stories has its own unique charm and impact.

When reading her work, it's no wonder why she's regarded as one of the most important and influential voices of our time. And it's personally great to know she's showing no signs of slowing down or stopping. She's a true storyteller who obviously loves the craft, and we need more like her in the world. Her ability to create complex characters and vivid settings, and to explore the darkest corners of the human experience, is truly remarkable.

These experiences are etched deeply in my psyche. They have become an integral part of who I am.

No matter how hard I might try, I simply couldn't dig them out if I wanted to. They are like scars that remain, serving as a reminder of the past.

Some of these memories are painful, while others are bittersweet. But all of them have contributed to shaping my perspective and influencing my actions.

I have learned to embrace these etchings, for they are a part of my story. They give me strength and wisdom, and they have taught me valuable lessons along the way.

Even though I may not be able to erase them, I can choose how I respond to them. I can use them as a source of inspiration or as a cautionary tale.

In the end, these etchings in my psyche are what make me unique, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Secret Observations on the Goat-Girl

I have been conducting secret observations on the goat-girl for some time now.

She is a mysterious figure who seems to have a special connection with the goats.

Every day, she can be seen leading the goats to graze in the fields, her gentle touch and soft voice calming the animals.

Sometimes, she would sit among the goats, lost in thought, as if sharing a silent conversation with them.

I noticed that she has a unique way of handling the goats, always knowing when they are hungry or thirsty, or when they need some extra attention.

Her skills in goat-herding are truly remarkable, and I can't help but wonder where she learned them.

Despite my attempts to remain hidden, I sometimes catch her looking in my direction, a hint of curiosity in her eyes.

It makes me wonder if she is aware of my presence and what she might think of my secret observations.

As I continue to observe the goat-girl, I am becoming more and more intrigued by her and her relationship with the goats.

I hope to one day have the courage to approach her and learn more about her fascinating life.