{"product_id":"the-classic-short-story-1870-1925-theory-of-a-genre","title":"The Classic Short Story, 1870-1925: Theory of a Genre","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eKey Features\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHistorical range:\u003c\/strong\u003e Covers the short story in its high period from 1870 to 1925, showing how conventions crystallized across decades.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eComparative scope:\u003c\/strong\u003e Examines writing in French, English, Italian, Russian and Japanese to highlight international parallels and contrasts.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eClose readings:\u003c\/strong\u003e Offers detailed discussion of representative authors such as Guy de Maupassant and Anton Chekhov to illustrate genre techniques.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eUpdated translation:\u003c\/strong\u003e This expanded and updated English version brings a seminal French study to a wider readership with added context.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGenre theory focus:\u003c\/strong\u003e Concentrates exclusively on the short story as a form, helping readers understand formal limits and possibilities.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAccessible scholarship:\u003c\/strong\u003e Balances specialist argument with clear prose so that advanced undergraduates and general readers can follow the analysis.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWho It's For\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReaders 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePros \u0026amp; Cons\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePros\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eClear historical framing makes it easy to see how conventions developed between 1870 and 1925.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComparative readings across five literatures provide insight into international genre patterns.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFocused theoretical approach clarifies the short story's formal demands for writers and readers.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCons\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBecause it is a specialist study, it may feel narrow to readers wanting wide-ranging literary history.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTitle\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eThe Classic Short Story, 1870-1925: Theory of a Genre\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAuthor\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFlorence Goyet\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOriginal work\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eExpanded translation of La Nouvelle, 1870-1925 (Paris, 1993)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCoverage\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFrench, English, Italian, Russian and Japanese writing\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePrimary focus\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTheory and description of the short story as a genre\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRepresentative authors discussed\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eGuy de Maupassant, Henry James, Giovanni Verga, Anton Chekhov, Akutagawa Ryuno\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eOur Verdict\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes this book include primary story texts?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe book is a study and translation of Goyet's critique; it analyzes stories rather than serving as an anthology of primary texts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhich literatures are compared?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eGoyet's work examines French, English, Italian, Russian and Japanese short-story traditions from 1870 to 1925.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs this suitable for classroom use?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes; its clear arguments and representative close readings make it appropriate for seminars and advanced courses on genre and short fiction.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Florence Goyet","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48226235449563,"sku":"1909254762","price":55.44,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0724\/1043\/1707\/files\/617wJq9w35L._SL1360.jpg?v=1770741145","url":"https:\/\/gearmusthave.com\/products\/the-classic-short-story-1870-1925-theory-of-a-genre","provider":"GearMustHave","version":"1.0","type":"link"}