Brilliantly bizarre collection of short stories. While the style is in distinct contrast to that proffered by his novels, the themes of the often problematic connection between man and nature, and the tension between the inner and outer modes of being, are typically, and wonderfully, Forsterian.

The first few stories especially are delights.

Unanswered questions run through these short, magical tales. This other world just beyond the reach of our staid conventions and habits, reached by Forster's characters by means of poetry, nature, or passion - should we seek it out or is it reserved for the select few with the courage to grab it.

A thoroughly delightful collection of short stories all having elements of the fantastic. Some of the stories are almost lighter versions of Arthur Machen who was an inspiration to Lovecraft. The horrors here aren't cosmic, but often nature itself in subtle degrees. And make no mistake, there are elements of horror in these stories.

Most delightful of all, this collection is in the public domain and can be downloaded to any device. Next time you're stuck waiting somewhere, instead of surfing the net, read one of these stories!

The Story of A Panic is also printed in the Big Book of the Masters of Horror

A nice collection of stories with fantasy/supernatural element; the main theme seems to be the forces of nature and imagination versus rules of society and reason. Some of the stories were slightly too sublime for my taste, but I liked "The Story of a Panic" and "The Road from Colonus".

I have to admit that I am still getting used to Forster's style. He's not especially descriptive, which can be a good thing. I've read books that take pages upon pages to describe something as inconsequential as the front porch of a random building, down to the individual hues and intricate pattern of the wood grain. Um, no thanks. That's when I start skimming, in an attempt to keep my eyes from glazing over and drooping shut. However. Forster, in my opinion, goes too far in the opposite direction. Although I did notice it here and there in A Room With a View, it was much more obvious in this collection, probably due to the short story form. It was a bit disconcerting to begin a story and find myself plopped in mid-conversation amongst characters who are completely indistinguishable from one another (I am thinking specifically of Other Kingdom). Forster eventually gets around to sorting them out and the stories' backdrops and characters become clearer, but it does make for slightly uncomfortable reading in the first few pages.

I feel like the above is making it seem as if I didn't like his stories, but I did. I loved them. I loved the weaving together of Edwardian era characters and sensibilities with fantasy and fable. The Story of a Panic, The Celestial Omnibus, Other Kingdom, and The Road from Colonus were standouts, but honestly there's not a bad one in the bunch.

This book repeats the themes of several other Forster titles (Room with a View, Passage to India, and Howard’s End) about how social conventions can stifle true living. In these short stories, he mocks those who are educated and dignified and glorifies those who give themselves over to the pleasures of the natural world. Each tale is beautifully written and yet somehow they leave the reader with an uneasy feeling. Yes, something is definitely lacking in a life of “just following the rules,” but is oneness with nature and the arts really a sufficient answer?

Magical, allegorical short stories, with Forster’s light, sly hand.

This is a curious collection of short-stories, all centered on encounters with supernatural being or events. Greco-Roman mystic creatures such as Pan and Faun, as well as re-worked stories such as Apollo and Daphne, Dante's Paradiso, Oedipus at Colonus, all worked into the curate-aunt-country-side setting of middle class English vignettes. The Story of a Panic is the best of the lot, while the rest seems to be rather skimpily developed in characters. It is enjoyable to read but not in the same profoundly gratifying depth as E. M. Forster's novels.

The Celestial Omnibus is a delightful (did I just say delightful? ugh! but it really was sheer pleasure to read) short story about a boy who visits heaven and returns with wonderful stories that no one will believe. It's nicely crafted, concise, and highly imaginative... heaven is a sort of literary haven for heros, gods, and good writers. It's only about 15 pages, but lots of fun.

The Machine Stops is another short story that I'd read before. It was included in the Science Fiction Research Association anthology (published in the nineties). It tells of a machine dependent society that fails when the machine fails. Nothing real imaginative there, but Forster wrote it in 1928, when machine dependence had not reached the supercomputer-phase yet and I imagine it's warning was more potent at the time (and it also hadn't been done to death by then either). What I like about it is its bleakness about the whole possibility.

Both stories are found in the Penguin Selected Stories of E. M. Forster, so it's cheap to pick up. Even though these are the only two of the collection recommended to me, it's likely that I'll read more of them.

Slightly cheating here as ‘The Celestial Omnibus’ was in ‘The Machine Stops’; only 25 pages or so.

Really interesting little read, if at times a bit confusing given the period it was written (and there are subsequent references that become quite integral to the narrative of this short story).

This was the kind of book that having read some more stuff online afterwards, I’ve grown to love it even more