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Humor, Horror and the Supernatural: 22 Stories by Saki
Stories of funny things, and supernatural happenings.
Gabriel-Ernest
The bag
Tobermory
Mrs. Packletide's tiger
Sredni Vashtar
The Easter egg
Filboid Studge
Laura
The open window
The Schartz-Matterklume method
A holiday task
The storyteller
The name day
The lumber room
The disappearance of Crispina Umberleigh
The wolves of Cernogratz
The guests
The penance
The interlopers
The mappined life
The seven cream jugs
The gala programme
Gabriel-Ernest
The bag
Tobermory
Mrs. Packletide's tiger
Sredni Vashtar
The Easter egg
Filboid Studge
Laura
The open window
The Schartz-Matterklume method
A holiday task
The storyteller
The name day
The lumber room
The disappearance of Crispina Umberleigh
The wolves of Cernogratz
The guests
The penance
The interlopers
The mappined life
The seven cream jugs
The gala programme
156 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1968
About the author
Saki
1,287 books550 followersBritish writer Hector Hugh Munro under pen name Saki published his witty and sometimes bitter short stories in collections, such as
The Chronicles of Clovis
(1911).
His sometimes macabre satirized Edwardian society and culture. People consider him a master and often compare him to William Sydney Porter and Dorothy Rothschild Parker. His tales feature delicately drawn characters and finely judged narratives. "The Open Window," perhaps his most famous, closes with the line, "Romance at short notice was her specialty," which thus entered the lexicon. Newspapers first and then several volumes published him as the custom of the time.
His works include
* a full-length play, The Watched Pot , in collaboration with Charles Maude;
* two one-act plays;
* a historical study, The Rise of the Russian Empire , the only book under his own name;
* a short novel, The Unbearable Bassington ;
* the episodic The Westminster Alice , a parliamentary parody of Alice in Wonderland ;
* and When William Came: A Story of London under the Hohenzollerns , an early alternate history.
Oscar Wilde, Lewis Carroll, and Joseph Rudyard Kipling, influenced Munro, who in turn influenced A. A. Milne, and Pelham Grenville Wodehouse.
His sometimes macabre satirized Edwardian society and culture. People consider him a master and often compare him to William Sydney Porter and Dorothy Rothschild Parker. His tales feature delicately drawn characters and finely judged narratives. "The Open Window," perhaps his most famous, closes with the line, "Romance at short notice was her specialty," which thus entered the lexicon. Newspapers first and then several volumes published him as the custom of the time.
His works include
* a full-length play, The Watched Pot , in collaboration with Charles Maude;
* two one-act plays;
* a historical study, The Rise of the Russian Empire , the only book under his own name;
* a short novel, The Unbearable Bassington ;
* the episodic The Westminster Alice , a parliamentary parody of Alice in Wonderland ;
* and When William Came: A Story of London under the Hohenzollerns , an early alternate history.
Oscar Wilde, Lewis Carroll, and Joseph Rudyard Kipling, influenced Munro, who in turn influenced A. A. Milne, and Pelham Grenville Wodehouse.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
March 26, 2021
Well, this book was something all right.
Hector Hugh Munro know as "Saki" was born 1870 and died 1916 at the young age of 45. Many of his works were not published till after his death. It is worth noting that these stories while short, will take a fair amount of concentration to get through. Each on contains a bit of dark wit that was relevant to his time. Vocabulary is a bit over the top, and much of it no longer in use in this age, or ever for that matter in the US. It's not a lack of intelligence that causes these stories to run at a slower pace, but the need to fully digest each word on the page.
While not every piece in this book will be enjoyed by every person I would suggest it as a book to read once. Considered a master in his craft, his style is unique and worthy of a place on the shelf.
I will say I have only given this book three stars but may up it to four. I feel my judgment has been unfair as the writing and stories themselves were great, it is just that not all were suited to my taste.
Hector Hugh Munro know as "Saki" was born 1870 and died 1916 at the young age of 45. Many of his works were not published till after his death. It is worth noting that these stories while short, will take a fair amount of concentration to get through. Each on contains a bit of dark wit that was relevant to his time. Vocabulary is a bit over the top, and much of it no longer in use in this age, or ever for that matter in the US. It's not a lack of intelligence that causes these stories to run at a slower pace, but the need to fully digest each word on the page.
While not every piece in this book will be enjoyed by every person I would suggest it as a book to read once. Considered a master in his craft, his style is unique and worthy of a place on the shelf.
I will say I have only given this book three stars but may up it to four. I feel my judgment has been unfair as the writing and stories themselves were great, it is just that not all were suited to my taste.
December 31, 2014
I grew up on these stories, along with Poe, etc. This stuff was the neatest introduction to irony, the short story, and spicy bits of meaty plot twist. There are a couple dozen stories in this book with a range of horrors in there- horror at being about to be eaten is alongside being 'a horribly good child'. Quirks, wrys, and oopsies abound. This is fun stuff.
I was pretty eager to warp my kids with this stuff, but I waited a little while. Until they were at least ten. There are some cognitive levels you just don't get to until you get to 'em.
The reaction of my kids was glorious: they knew quite well how careful I was that they read only the best- uplifting stuff, or decent morals, or a healthy meaning to it...so reading something warped for the first time really set them off. They were so surprised I let this slip through! Even if I did read the first story to them.
Later came the Charles Addams cartoon book, and other stuff. It began to dawn on them: mommy liked the dark.
Well, sometimes she does.
I was pretty eager to warp my kids with this stuff, but I waited a little while. Until they were at least ten. There are some cognitive levels you just don't get to until you get to 'em.
The reaction of my kids was glorious: they knew quite well how careful I was that they read only the best- uplifting stuff, or decent morals, or a healthy meaning to it...so reading something warped for the first time really set them off. They were so surprised I let this slip through! Even if I did read the first story to them.
Later came the Charles Addams cartoon book, and other stuff. It began to dawn on them: mommy liked the dark.
Well, sometimes she does.
March 15, 2021
A nice collection of irony and black humor.
April 23, 2022
A collection of well written stories with a very misleading title. 97% humour.
May 24, 2016
I do say, how deLIGHTfully droll!
Incredibly, painfully British stories. Humor was there, kind of. The supernatural made two or three appearances. Horror was entirely unaccounted for. Everyone was a wealthy English noble talking about fox-hunting, peppering the conversation with bon mots that aspired to be Wildesque but fell far short. All the villains were the sudden appearance of wolves.
It wasn't awful. It was, however, 50 cents. You get what you pay for.
Incredibly, painfully British stories. Humor was there, kind of. The supernatural made two or three appearances. Horror was entirely unaccounted for. Everyone was a wealthy English noble talking about fox-hunting, peppering the conversation with bon mots that aspired to be Wildesque but fell far short. All the villains were the sudden appearance of wolves.
It wasn't awful. It was, however, 50 cents. You get what you pay for.
October 23, 2020
4.5 stars
The stories are all listed above so I will not re-list
them again.
Here are my ratings
Gabriel-Ernest 4.5/5
The Bag 4.5/5
Tobermory 4.5/5
Mrs. Packletide's Tiger 4.3/5
Sredni Vashtar 4.5/5
The Easter Egg 4.3/5
Filboid Studge 4.8/5
Laura 4.5/5
The Open Window 5/5
Schartz-Metterklume Method 5/5
A Holiday Task 4.2/5
The Storyteller 4.8/5
The Name Day 4.5/5
The Lumber Room 5/5
The Disappearance of
Crispina Umberleigh 4.5/5
Wolves of Cernogratz 4/5
The Guests 4/5
The Penance 3/5
The Interlopers 5/5
The Mappined LIfe 4.2/5
The Seven Cream Jugs 4.3/5
The Gala Programme 4.2/5
I just think Saki is one of the 3
best writers I have ever read in
my life.
Such a superb writer, so many of his
stories are so funny and almost all
of them have a twist at the end.
The stories are all listed above so I will not re-list
them again.
Here are my ratings
Gabriel-Ernest 4.5/5
The Bag 4.5/5
Tobermory 4.5/5
Mrs. Packletide's Tiger 4.3/5
Sredni Vashtar 4.5/5
The Easter Egg 4.3/5
Filboid Studge 4.8/5
Laura 4.5/5
The Open Window 5/5
Schartz-Metterklume Method 5/5
A Holiday Task 4.2/5
The Storyteller 4.8/5
The Name Day 4.5/5
The Lumber Room 5/5
The Disappearance of
Crispina Umberleigh 4.5/5
Wolves of Cernogratz 4/5
The Guests 4/5
The Penance 3/5
The Interlopers 5/5
The Mappined LIfe 4.2/5
The Seven Cream Jugs 4.3/5
The Gala Programme 4.2/5
I just think Saki is one of the 3
best writers I have ever read in
my life.
Such a superb writer, so many of his
stories are so funny and almost all
of them have a twist at the end.
December 8, 2021
An enjoyable read on the whole. Saki was able to picture a situation and give it a twist in just a few pages, much like O. Henry. Some of the stories seem kind of dated in their views about colonialism, women, etc., but many hold up well. One of my favorites is "Tobermory," about a cat that observes what's going on in the household and can talk about it. Although family members find this cute at first, it's obvious that Tobermory is seeing many things that they don't want known. "The Open Window" is another classic about a father and his two sons who go out hunting and never come back--until they do.
February 25, 2016
1st Read: November 14, 2014 - November 18, 2014
What a sorry excuse for a book! The only ones which were alright or just a little better were:
#8) "LAURA"
#13) "THE STORMTELLER"
#19) "THE INTERLOPERS"
Everything else I had labelled as "crap", "more crap", or "blah"! It just makes my opinion of short stories all the more true. Most of them should never see the light of day.
October 26, 2010
Here is an entertaining and deceptively simple collection of short stories. I especially enjoyed surprising little plot twists and Saki's depictions of the cleverness and heart of animals and children.
October 22, 2012
A collection of 22 short stories by Saki (H H Munro). Mostly gothic or horror-esque. Only a couple were really grabbing, don't go to this if you're looking for a truly horror collection. It was short and entertaining though, and worth the time to read it.
September 3, 2016
A lovely collection of stories in a style that is now old-fashioned. This style only adds interest to the stories. You're in for some surprises and some satisfaction when the bad guy gets his comeuppance. Shivers are all very mild.
October 17, 2012
Where was this Saki collection hiding all my life? If I could marry a book this would be the one...
November 21, 2013
While some of the stories are quite good, most are basically different versions of "Aren't upper middle-class folks silly?", which gets a bit dull after a while. Still, rather enjoyable.
April 4, 2017
The book that introduced me to Saki and most of the stories included are among my favorites of his. Definitely recommended.
February 6, 2015
I adore his understated humor. Definitely one of my favorite short story writers.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews