The Classic Short Story, 1870-1925: Theory of a Genre

In this review of The Classic Short Story, 1870-1925: Theory of a Genre, the reviewer finds a focused, scholarly account valuable for readers who want a cross-cultural study of the short story at its late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century peak. This expanded translation of Florence Goyet's La Nouvelle, 1870-1925 synthesizes close readings and genre history to explain why writers from Maupassant to Akutagawa worked within tight conventions, making it essential for students, teachers and critics who need a compact, comparative treatment rather than a broad modern survey.

Key Features

• Historical range: Covers the short story in its high period from 1870 to 1925, showing how conventions crystallized across decades.
• Comparative scope: Examines writing in French, English, Italian, Russian and Japanese to highlight international parallels and contrasts.
• Close readings: Offers detailed discussion of representative authors such as Guy de Maupassant and Anton Chekhov to illustrate genre techniques.
• Updated translation: This expanded and updated English version brings a seminal French study to a wider readership with added context.
• Genre theory focus: Concentrates exclusively on the short story as a form, helping readers understand formal limits and possibilities.
• Accessible scholarship: Balances specialist argument with clear prose so that advanced undergraduates and general readers can follow the analysis.

Who It's For

The Classic Short Story, 1870-1925 is best for literature students, instructors and critics who need a focused theoretical treatment of the short story's conventions during its classical period. It is particularly useful for coursework or seminars that compare national traditions and want an argument-driven, historically grounded secondary text.

Readers seeking a general history of fiction across the twentieth century or a contemporary anthology of stories should look elsewhere; this book is not a broad survey or primary-source collection, but a concentrated study of form and genre during a specific era.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Clear historical framing makes it easy to see how conventions developed between 1870 and 1925.
• Comparative readings across five literatures provide insight into international genre patterns.
• Focused theoretical approach clarifies the short story's formal demands for writers and readers.

Cons

• Because it is a specialist study, it may feel narrow to readers wanting wide-ranging literary history.

Specifications

Title	The Classic Short Story, 1870-1925: Theory of a Genre
Author	Florence Goyet
Original work	Expanded translation of La Nouvelle, 1870-1925 (Paris, 1993)
Coverage	French, English, Italian, Russian and Japanese writing
Primary focus	Theory and description of the short story as a genre
Representative authors discussed	Guy de Maupassant, Henry James, Giovanni Verga, Anton Chekhov, Akutagawa Ryuno

Our Verdict

For anyone teaching or studying the short story at an advanced undergraduate or graduate level, this translation of Florence Goyet's study is a concise, well-argued resource that pays dividends by clarifying how strict generic conventions shaped major writers. It is good value for readers who want a comparative, theory-focused companion to primary texts rather than a general literary history.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this book include primary story texts?
The book is a study and translation of Goyet's critique; it analyzes stories rather than serving as an anthology of primary texts.

Which literatures are compared?
Goyet's work examines French, English, Italian, Russian and Japanese short-story traditions from 1870 to 1925.

Is this suitable for classroom use?
Yes; its clear arguments and representative close readings make it appropriate for seminars and advanced courses on genre and short fiction.