Favorite short novels would be:
Bonjour Tristesse, Francoise Sagan
The Haunting of Hill House and We Have Always Lived in the Castle, Shirley Jackson
Every planet has its own weird customs. About a year before we met, I spent six weeks on a moon where the principal form of recreation was juggling geese. My hand to God. Baby geese. Goslings. They were juggled.
Wash ,'Our Mrs. Reynolds'
Literary Buffistas 3: Don't Parse the Blurb, Dear.
There's more to life than watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer! No. Really, there is! Honestly! Here's a place for Buffistas to come and discuss what it is they're reading, their favorite authors and poets. "Geez. Crack a book sometime."
Amy - Feb 03, 2011 12:02:39 pm PST #13836 of 28377
Because books.
Polter-Cow - Feb 03, 2011 12:04:42 pm PST #13837 of 28377
What else besides ramen can you scoop? YOU CAN SCOOP THIS WORLD FROM DARKNESS!
Of the top of my head, Shopgirl by Steve Martin and Who Will Run the Frog Hospital? by Lorrie Moore come to mind.
Strega - Feb 03, 2011 1:01:51 pm PST #13838 of 28377
Maybe Lansdale's Mad Dog Summer.
From looking at lists of novellas, I think the format doesn't work for me very well -- there are certainly some I like, but I prize things I can reread, and with novella length fiction I'm probably going to remember most of the details, unlike with a novel, but it'll still take a while to get through, unlike a short story. So even if I'm like, "Oh yes, that was good," I'm rarely in the mood for them.
sj - Feb 03, 2011 1:03:51 pm PST #13839 of 28377
"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea."
I liked The Body Artist and it worked well in the short format.
dcp - Feb 03, 2011 3:30:26 pm PST #13840 of 28377
The more I learn, the more I realize how little I know.
So what do you like in the short form?
Tea With the Black Dragon -- R. A. MacAvoy
Connie Neil - Feb 03, 2011 5:26:45 pm PST #13841 of 28377
brillig
Tea With the Black Dragon
Lovely book, though I wouldn't call it a novella.
dcp - Feb 03, 2011 5:47:57 pm PST #13842 of 28377
The more I learn, the more I realize how little I know.
Too long?
beth b - Feb 03, 2011 5:56:45 pm PST #13843 of 28377
oh joy! Oh Rapture ! I have a brain!
Mrs. Caliban by Rachel Ingalls
Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett
I just realized I like shorter books to be a little more thoughtful
and i really hope none of you have missed the Uncommon reader
Amy - Feb 03, 2011 6:01:41 pm PST #13844 of 28377
Because books.
I don't think I've heard of Uncommon Reader, beth. I'll have to look it up.
Connie Neil - Feb 03, 2011 6:15:33 pm PST #13845 of 28377
brillig
Too long?
It seems like an average length for SFF books that came out at that time.