I recently read a really nice paragraph that Bowles wrote.

It was so engaging that I have been wanting to read more of his writing ever since.

The paragraph he wrote goes like this: "In a Western country, if a whole segment of the population desires, for reasons of protest, to isolate itself in a radical fashion from the society around it, the quickest and surest way is for it to replace alcohol with cannibus."

This statement really made me think. It presents an interesting perspective on how a group might choose to make a statement and separate themselves from the mainstream.

I wonder if Bowles has explored this idea further in his other works.

I'm excited to delve deeper into his writing and see what other thought-provoking ideas he has to offer.

Maybe there are more hidden gems like this paragraph waiting for me to discover.

I can't wait to see what else Bowles has in store for his readers.

So many feelings of Deja Vu as I would struggle with the same turn of phrase.

Wondering if a story had been accidentally included twice in this massive tome.

The stories weren’t BAD, persay.

And there were a scattered few I enjoyed.

But the vast majority were just so very, very dull.

I figured that since I adored The Sheltering Sky, I would like his works of short fiction.

However, I was sorely mistaken.

It seems that his talent for crafting engaging and captivating novels does not translate well into the realm of short stories.

The characters lack depth, the plots are often predictable, and the writing style can be overly verbose at times.

While I appreciate the effort that went into compiling this collection, I cannot recommend it to others.

Perhaps if I had approached it with lower expectations, I might have been more satisfied.

But as it stands, I found this book to be a disappointment.

I recently re-read a handful of these stories.

They are truly remarkable. The atmosphere they create is palpable, drawing the reader in and immersing them in a world of unique imagination.

Each story is highly original, with its own distinct plot, characters, and setting. The authors have managed to craft tales that are both engaging and thought-provoking.

Whether it's a mystery, a romance, or a science fiction adventure, these stories have something for everyone.

Re-reading them has been a joy, and I can't wait to discover more great stories like these in the future.

Bowles dedicated a significant portion of his life to Tangier, and a large number of the 62 stories in this collection are set either in that city or in the neighboring countries.

He presents a sharp-eyed view as a stranger in an alien land, depicting landscapes that are as unyielding in their climate as they often are in their culture. In many instances, a sense of fatalistic tension permeates the narrative, as if we are all fulfilling the bleak roles assigned to us by nature.

The opening of “Istikhara, Anaya, Medagan and the Megaganat” encapsulates a great deal of the tone and writing style: “In the Sahara, where the air, the light, and even the sky hint at some as-yet-unvisited planet, it is not unexpected to encounter certain patterns of human behavior that are equally unfamiliar. Behavior is strictly defined, with little room for individual deviations. If circumstances present the opportunity for attack and looting, the action is anticipated; in fact, custom mandates it.”

Some of my favorite stories from this collection include:
- You Are Not I
- How Many Midnights
- The Circular Valley
- The Successor
- The Hyena
- The Garden
- Here to Learn
- Massachusetts 1932
- An Inopportune Visit

(It took me nearly a year to read this because I initially thought I could read it at a leisurely pace, picking it up to read a few stories each month. However, it ended up feeling like a huge unfinished task that constantly loomed in the background. It was far more enjoyable when I spent the last couple of weeks focused solely on reading this book.)

My ratings of books on Goodreads are nothing more than a rough assessment of their usefulness to me.

They do not take into account literary merit, which might involve the elegance of the writing, the use of language, and the overall craftsmanship.

Nor do they consider entertainment value, such as how engaging the story is or how much it makes the reader laugh or cry.

Social importance, humor, insightfulness, scientific accuracy, creative vigor, the suspensefulness of the plot, the depth of the characters, the vitality of the theme, the excitement of the climax, and the satisfaction of the ending are all aspects that are left out of my simple ranking.

We are often expected to somehow distill all these different dimensions of value into a single digit through some miraculous alchemy, but my ratings on Goodreads are a more straightforward reflection of how much a book has served my own purposes and interests.

After reading “A Distant Episode” in a short story anthology, it firmly lodged in my head, compelling me to seek out more spine-chilling tales by Bowles.

Many of these stories indeed depict the darkness within humanity (or as Bowles phrases it, someone in a precarious situation). However, the overarching theme throughout the book is the concept of otherness.

The question that arises is what kind of conflict, be it in the form of violence, misunderstandings, or otherwise, takes place when a character experiences a sense of displacement.

With his detached tone and lucid prose that refrains from passing judgment on his characters or imposing any values, Bowles delves into this query within a plethora of settings in these stories penned over a span of nearly 50 years.

If by some stroke of luck I were to visit Tangier one day, I would likely be overcome with nostalgia for the enchanting allure so vividly captured within these pages.

Most of them are very good,

showcasing a high level of quality and proficiency.

Some, however, are truly excellent,

standing out from the rest with their outstanding features and performance.

And then there are a few that are simply sublime,

reaching a level of perfection that is truly remarkable.

These rare gems possess an almost otherworldly charm and beauty,

captivating the senses and leaving a lasting impression.

Whether it's in art, music, literature, or any other field,

the pursuit of excellence is a noble one,

and those who achieve it deserve our highest praise and admiration.

For they are the ones who push the boundaries of what is possible,

inspiring us all to reach for greater heights.

I suppose this anthology would be classified as literary fiction or non-genre fiction.

I ordinarily have a penchant for genre fiction, especially science fiction. One of the persistent issues I've had with so-called literary fiction is that the stories often leave me pondering what the essence or significance was. Genre fiction typically has a clear point to convey, but literary fiction frequently makes me exclaim, "So what?"

These stories, for the most part, elicited the same response from me. There isn't really anything objectively amiss with them, which is why I'm awarding the book a neutral three stars. I simply don't perceive any extraordinary meaning in the majority of the stories.

However, there are a couple of exceptions. At least two stories can be effortlessly slotted into the fantasy genre. One is a tale about a young man who employs supernatural means to transfer his consciousness into a venomous snake, and another is about a saint who traverses through time and space. Both of these indeed seem to possess more of a point compared to the other stories. Nevertheless, there are only two among numerous other stories that seem to lack direction and lead nowhere.

Overall, while the anthology has its moments, it fails to fully engage me on a deeper level.

Disturbing and yet satisfyingly unsatisfying, this author has a unique talent. He masterfully builds a great deal of dramatic tension throughout his works. Just when you think the tension will be resolved in a certain way, he surprises you. Sometimes he resolves it, sometimes he doesn't, and sometimes he does it in the most unexpected fashion. He delves deep into and shatters the social mores of Europeans during the 1920s - 1950s. It's important to note that there are no traditional happy endings in these stories. Instead, you'll find endings that are simply less disastrous. This makes for a captivating and thought-provoking read that challenges our expectations and forces us to confront the harsh realities of that era.

Do you get upset when you have an old version of a book and then a newer version comes out with a sexier cover?

Well, I must admit that I do. It always feels a bit disappointing when you have that original copy, perhaps with a more classic or understated cover, and then suddenly there's this new, eye-catching version that seems to promise something different.

Anyway, I just re-read Delicate Prey and A Distant Episode, and boy, did I have some serious nightmares. The stories in these books are so vivid and disturbing that they really stick with you.

Delicate Prey, in particular, had some truly terrifying moments that had me on the edge of my seat. And A Distant Episode was equally as haunting, with its exploration of themes like loss and isolation.

Despite the nightmares, though, I'm still glad I re-read these books. They're both works of art that deserve to be read and re-read, no matter what cover they come with.

His sense of culture and place is like a palate ready to be slathered with new colors of human behavior and feelings. North Africa is far from being like Mayberry, U.S.A. Bowles vividly demonstrates how humanity can exist in a multitude of forms, living in ways that shatter existing norms, whether they are cultural, spiritual, or of the soul. He shows that even life and death are defined and solidified within each culture where they "live" (or die). There are sexual morays, complex personal relationships, and all the things that make our shadows come alive with new monsters.

In this era of cultural melding and our necessary reliance on the diversity and similarity of humane purpose, Bowles reveals to us that our brothers and sisters squatting in the tawny dust, sitting, waiting, and living just a plane flight away, have hearts and souls, but they experience them through their specific cultural milieu. We are arrogant in assuming that what is "normal" for us is "normal" everywhere. However, his greatest contribution through his work is that it is transcendent art. Just like the best artists, his work leaves space for the reader to take what Bowles offers and make the work specific to the interpreter. The nightmares, the dark angst in the narrow alleys, sickness, and dying in inhospitable places – all these are small doors that lead to courtyards that the readers inhabit with our impressions and conclusions. He does not spoon-feed us resolutions; instead, he simply amazes us with the world.

I have read these works over an extended period of time. As a result, almost none of the stories remain fresh in my memory. However, it is important to note that Bowles is an extremely talented writer. His stories, along with his attitude towards human nature, are such that they make Conrad seem like an optimist.

At the very core of Bowles' works, for him, people are essentially unknowable and terrifying. He vividly illustrates this point again and again. He does so by highlighting the lack of understanding that exists between the natives of North Africa and the visitors and expatriates who predominantly form the subject matter of his stories.

The stories written by Bowles can be highly entertaining. They can be funny,展现出一种野性, and also possess great wisdom - sometimes all three qualities are present simultaneously. This unique combination makes his works truly captivating and worthy of being explored and analyzed further.