The Great Frustration: Stories
by Seth Fried
On This Page
Description
Channeling Steven Millhauser by way of George Saunders,The Great Frustration is a sparkling debut, equal parts fable and wry satire. Seth Fried balances the dark--a town besieged, a yearly massacre, the harem of a pathological king--with moments of sweet optimism--researchers unexpectedly inspired by discovery, the triumph of a doomed monkey, the big implications found in a series of tiny creatures. In "Loeka Discovered," a buzz flows throughout a lab when scientists unearth a perfectly show more preserved prehistoric man who suggests to them the hopefulness of life, but the more they learn, the more the realities of ancient survival invade their buoyant projections. "Frost Mountain Picnic Massacre" meditates on why an entire town enthusiastically rushes out to the annual picnic that ends, year after year, in a massacre of astonishing creativity and casualty. The title storyilluminates the desires and even the violence that surges beneath the tenuous peace among the animals in the Garden of Eden. Fried's stories suggest that we are at our most compelling and human when wrestling with the most frustrating aspects of both the world around us and of our very own natures--and in the process shows why he is a talent to be watched. show lessTags
Recommendations
Member Reviews
A varied and interesting collection of stories. Some are humorous, some pretty thought-provoking. The title story is about animals in Eden, starting to go nuts because they can't be themselves. The lion doesn't want to lie down with the lamb; he wants to eat her. Is this a new take on original sin, or just a clever idea? In many of the stories, we can chuckle, but at the same time we might go, "Hmmm.."
A brilliant collection of stories that reminded me of Steven Millhauser and Calvino. Original, funny, highly entertaining, with some gems like "Loeka discovered", "Frost Mountain Picnic Massacre", "The Scribe's Lament" and "Animalcula". Fried has been my best discovery so far this year.
Fantastic collection! Reminded me of some of my favorite short story writers: Vonnegut, George Saunders, Stephen Millhauser, and Jim Shepard. Smart, funny, inventive stuff!
Fantastic collection! Reminded me of some of my favorite short story writers: Vonnegut, George Saunders, Stephen Millhauser, and Jim Shepard. Smart, funny, inventive stuff!
Ratings
Members
- Recently Added By
Lists
Books Read in 2017
4,249 works; 130 members
Author Information
7+ Works 363 Members
Series
Belongs to Publisher Series
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 92
- Popularity
- 350,416
- Reviews
- 4
- Rating
- (3.67)
- Languages
- English, Japanese
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 3
- ASINs
- 2
