Eudora Welty is a renowned author who has crafted many captivating stories.

One of her works is "Shower of Gold," which likely takes readers on an adventure filled with mystery and wonder.

Another is the "June Recital," perhaps a tale that unfolds during a special musical event, bringing to life the emotions and experiences of the characters.

"Sir Rabbit" is a story that appears in one complete issue of THE HUDSON REVIEW Spring 1949. It's bound to have its own charm and unique narrative.

"Moon Lake" by Eudora Welty might transport readers to a peaceful and enchanting location, filled with its own set of secrets and stories.

"The Whole World Knows" is another interesting piece, perhaps exploring themes of knowledge, reputation, and the interconnectedness of people.

"Music from Spain" could be a story that delves into the rich culture and sounds of Spain, offering a vivid and engaging reading experience.

Finally, "The Wanderers" might follow the journey of characters as they explore new places and encounter various challenges and opportunities along the way.

Together, these stories form a collection that showcases Eudora Welty's talent and creativity as an author.

I rate this book a 4.0 on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the best. This book of stories, as the title implies, is set on the mythic plane. Welty makes liberal allusions to the extensive record of human mythology. By doing so, she aims to create a modern mythology that is relevant to our era and our cults of individuality and illusion. Moreover, this modern mythology also connects us to a pre-conscious realm of human understanding.

The allusions to traditional mythology add depth and richness to the stories. They allow the readers to tap into a wellspring of shared cultural knowledge and experience. At the same time, Welty's modern take on mythology makes the stories accessible and engaging for contemporary readers. She shows how the ancient themes and motifs of mythology can still speak to us today, in the context of our own lives and times.

Overall, this book is a fascinating exploration of the intersection between mythology and modern life. It offers a unique perspective on the human condition and the power of storytelling. While it may not be a perfect 5.0, it is definitely a worthy addition to any bookshelf.

The Golden Apples is an anthology of short stories that delves into the lives of the seemingly ordinary yet truly peculiar inhabitants of the fictional town of Morgana, Mississippi.

Some of the stories are good, others are strange, and a few are truly outstanding short stories that draw you into the experiences from the characters' perspectives. I had the distinct impression that I was right there with them.

In the stifling Mississippi heat, beside the muddy-bottomed lake, along the cliffs of San Francisco, in the bedroom with a daughter just after her mother passed away, in the sitting room listening to a piano recital, and from a young boy's malaria-stricken bed, watching the activities at an abandoned neighbor's house.

Some stories are so vividly clear that I can see, feel, and taste along with the characters, many of whom seem uncertain or skeptical of their own thoughts and emotions. Some stories are written as if they are dreams, although I'm fairly certain they're not.

And in one story, I had no clue what was happening, only hints of something sinister in the woods. She concludes many of these tales with just a touch of closure, a hint that enables the reader's mind to envision what comes next, which is the mark of a truly great short story writer.

Why I'm reading this: The Golden Apples is the January book selection of The Southern Literary Trail group. I've had this book sitting on my shelves for far too long. It's time to finally explore the strange and wonderful world within its pages.

The book is a captivating collection of short stories.

All but one are set in the slow, swampy Mississippi Delta, which is Welty's native turf.

Homed in the fictional town of Morgana and its neighbouring MacLaine, the stories explore the interconnected lives of the native inhabitants.

The MacLains, Starks, Comuses, and Raineys each face conflicts that ripple through the town.

These conflicts,看似 modest on the surface, have a tremendous impact.

The families rely on each other in times of crisis, seeking council and offering support.

Welty's technique in rendering this communal dynamic is remarkable.

Her ear for local language and inflection is perfect, and her ability to capture tone and atmosphere is impeccable.

The stories offer different perspectives, but there is a uniformity of attitude and approach.

The book spans multiple decades, with characters departing and returning from war, and romances forming and fizzling.

Welty's dexterity is incredible as she moves from one perspective to the next.

The final story, The Wanderers, brings us to a funeral, seen mostly through the eyes of the town matriarch's daughter.

The town members are so familiar that the barriers between them are almost non-existent.

It's a small way of living with limited prospects but a strong sense of connection and purpose.

This is a work of art that rewards multiple readings, and I look forward to the next time.

There is some truly wonderful writing within these pages, along with beautifully crafted and shaped images.

Unfortunately, however, they are hidden beneath the excessive weight of Welty's attempts to infuse nearly every phrase, every sentence, and every paragraph with profound, metaphorical, symbolic, and poetic meanings.

Most of these efforts leave the reader completely at a loss, struggling to make sense of it all. The characters' words and actions are, at best, non-sequiturs, and at worst, completely dumbfounding.

For example, the way the onlookers behave when Loch is trying to revive Easter from drowning is simply baffling. At times, the dialogue seems as if it was written in isolation and then randomly inserted into a scene.

I can understand and make allowances for southern mannerisms and colloquialisms, but much of this just appears to be nonsensical.

It is truly unfortunate because some of the scenes and the perspectives from which the characters view them hold such potential for poignancy.

It's a pity that either Welty or the editors didn't prune back a few layers of the overgrowth, allowing the reader to more easily discover the beautiful blooms hidden within.

I know that there are some people who truly love this particular book. However, for me, it is by far my least favorite among all of Welty's books that I have read up until now. I can't quite put my finger on exactly what it is that doesn't click with me in this one. Maybe it's the plot that seems a bit convoluted or the characters that I didn't feel as connected to as in her other works.

Nevertheless, I did appreciate the opportunity to go through this book with the Welty at Home discussion group. It was interesting to hear the different perspectives and interpretations that the other members had. Their insights sometimes made me look at the book in a new light and consider aspects that I might have overlooked on my own.

Even though this book wasn't my cup of tea, I still have a great deal of respect for Welty as an author and look forward to reading more of her works in the future. Maybe there will be another one that will completely blow me away and become one of my all-time favorites.

Anne Tyler's recommendation is truly valuable.

She believes that it would be extremely beneficial to remember all the touching and surprising ways in which people in small communities interact with one another.

In small communities, the bonds between individuals are often deep and unique. People support each other through thick and thin, share their joys and sorrows, and engage in acts of kindness that can be truly heartwarming.

These interactions can range from simple greetings on the street to more significant acts of assistance during times of need.

By remembering these moments, we can gain a greater appreciation for the sense of community and the power of human connection.

It also serves as a reminder of the importance of looking out for one another and being there for our neighbors.

Overall, Anne Tyler's recommendation encourages us to cherish and celebrate the special ways in which people in small communities come together and make a difference in each other's lives.

A lyrical and experimental novel told in short stories. It's like taking the works of Sherwood Anderson and adding a touch of acid to them.

Each short story within this novel is a unique exploration of human emotions, relationships, and the strange corners of the human psyche. The language is rich and poetic, painting vivid pictures in the reader's mind.

The experimental nature of the novel lies in its unconventional structure and narrative techniques. It challenges the traditional notions of storytelling, inviting the reader to step into a world where the boundaries between reality and imagination are blurred.

Just like Sherwood Anderson's works, this novel delves deep into the lives of ordinary people, uncovering their hidden desires, fears, and dreams. However, with the added element of experimentation, it takes the reader on a wild and unforgettable journey through the landscapes of the human soul.

Whether you're a fan of literary fiction or looking for something new and exciting, this lyrical and experimental novel is sure to captivate your imagination and leave you with a sense of wonder.

Before delving into this book, the solitary work of Eudora Welty with which I was acquainted was her short story titled "Why I Live At the PO." Having perused that narrative, I surmised that all of Welty's oeuvre was of a similar ilk: lighthearted and comical. Consequently, I was astounded when I took up The Golden Apples and discovered it to be something entirely disparate.

It was indeed arduous to immerse oneself initially. However, once I managed to do so, I discerned the extent of Welty's artistry. Although there was an abundance of elements within these stories that I did not (and still do not) fathom, they were all exceedingly captivating. This is a book that is truly worthy of being read.

This book has been an albatross around my neck all freaking summer.

I came across it on a table of free books during a walk one day. Given that I'm a writer and a Southerner, I thought perhaps I should give it a go and read one of the most highly lauded Southern writers.

There were a couple of chapters in this book that I truly loved. In those parts, I could understand what all the fuss over Eudora Welty was about. She描绘了一幅20世纪初美国南方小镇生活的美妙画卷，让我几乎能感受到密西西比州莫甘纳那闪烁的热气。（或者那只是21世纪初华盛顿特区我门外的热气。）

Unfortunately, I detested most of the rest of the book. Some chapters relied too heavily on stream-of-consciousness narration for my liking, and it jumped around so much that I felt I never really got to know any of the inhabitants of Morgana.

I'm glad I finally had the opportunity to see what's so great (or not so great) about Eudora Welty. However, it'll probably be quite some time before I'm courageous enough to pick up another one of her books.

We don't get to choose the books of our lives, more's the pity.

(My childhood would have contained a few more classics and fewer Point Horrors... but the soul cries out for all kinds of things, and gorges on whatever's there to feed it.) 'The Golden Apples' is one of these for me: I've now read it four times, over fifteen years, and it delights and deepens each time.

It's a story cycle about a small Mississippi town, Morgana, across a generation. For Welty, a town is its people and its mythic sights. I couldn't tell you much about Morgana except it has a street of shops, the MacLain house is next to the Morrisons', and the Raineys live nearby with their Jersey calves. There are woods and a river. But it's the importance of these things that Welty draws power from. The way people watch each other, judge and gossip, and the dynamics within families. The symbolic importance of the river, which might bring death or rebirth, and the woods, which change over time, removing the barrier between Morgana and Maclain, changing the town's identity and bringing in new workers, altering the neighbourhood's nature and customs.

Welty is deeply concerned with personhood and social conditioning. How we are shaped by our environment, how we make or remake ourselves based on those around us, and how much of it is voluntary or conscious. From Cassie Morrison thinking of Virgie Rainey and Miss Eckhardt, the town's outsiders, to Nina and Jinny judging the orphans at Moon Lake, to Eugene still concerned with his past in Morgana even after running away to San Francisco, and especially Virgie herself, trying not to cry at the sight of her dead mother's body.

But Welty is also concerned with the spiritual and mythic life we might be living. The big, black river where King MacLain leaves his hat and crosses like a male Persephone into another world. The silent Spaniard with red fingernails in 'Music from Spain' who becomes a twin for Eugene. Cassie - Cassandra - who isn't listened to when she tells of what she's glimpsed. Welty uses myth richly, not just reworking a specific myth or character, but using the feel of myth to give her stories an enormous charge and make the spiritual world feel illuminated.

On a technical level, 'June Recital', 'Moon Lake' and 'Music from Spain' are magnificent stories, complete yet odd and idiosyncratic. 'The Wanderers' beautifully gathers up the other stories, highlighting the connections between them.

A beautiful book, often difficult. Welty's sentences aren't always straightforward, and when combined with a mythic charge and a modernist approach to consciousness, it forces the reader to try hard. But for its beauty, comedy, and mystery, I'm so glad this is one of the books of my life.

Hallelujah! I've finally finished this book. It's one of the three "homework" books that I've read by Eudora Welty. My copy of this book didn't have a forward, but from a previous book, I learned that she always includes references from Greek Mythology and a lot of symbolism in her writing. However, even though I know this, I can never easily spot them, let alone figure out their meanings.

Here is the closing line of the book as an example of her somewhat superfluous and wordy style. It's not really a spoiler, as far as I can tell, since it doesn't have much to do with the final story.

"They heard through falling rain the running of the horse and bear, the stroke of the leopard, the dragon's crusty slither, and the glimmer and the trumpet of the swan."

Hmm... There's a slithering dragon somewhere?

I read this for "On The Southern Literary Trail". It gets 2 stars and I let out a sigh of relief to be done. ;-)