More Short Sixes

Bunner, H. C. (Henry Cuyler), 1855-1896Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.3

Word count: 257K words
Chapters: 26

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.More "Short Sixes" by H. C. BunnerAuthor: Bunner, H. C. (Henry Cuyler), 1855-1896,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Apr 6, 2017

Editor's review

This is the sequel collection to Bunner's Short Sixes, released as a public-domain electronic edition by Project Gutenberg. Bunner was one of the representative American humorous short-story writers of the late nineteenth century; his pieces are brief, dialogue-dense, and neatly resolved, often taking urban life and social manners as their subject and producing humor through light twists and restrained irony. This sequel follows the same approach and is well suited to being read one story at a time in spare moments, in any order. Its value lies not in deep social analysis but in showcasing the feel and structural craft of American short humorous fiction of the period: how a few lines of dialogue establish a character, how a gentle nudge at the end completes a twist. For writers, it is a practical model for observing short-story rhythm and comic timing; for general readers, it is light reading with a period texture. Some slang and contexts now feel dated and require a little historical framing.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy late-nineteenth-century American humorous short stories
People who want short stories for spare moments
Writers studying short-story structure and twist techniques
Readers interested in old American urban life

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer long continuous narratives and complex character arcs
Readers impatient with old-fashioned slang and period context
Readers expecting deep analysis of serious social issues

Reading tips

No need to read in order; pick one or two at a time to keep the brisk short-story rhythm
After each story, recall where the twist lands and how the setup was planted earlier
Guess unfamiliar slang from context first, then check it, to avoid constant interruption
Writers can imitate one story to practice establishing character relationships quickly through dialogue

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Can I read this sequel without having read the original Short Sixes?

Yes. The stories are relatively independent, and the sequel does not depend on the plots or character relationships of the original. Reading it directly will not hinder understanding of individual stories, though reading both gives a fuller picture of Bunner's humorous style and range.

Do these stories feel dated today?

Some slang, urban details, and humor bear clear marks of their time and will feel distant today. But the dialogue technique, character sketches, and ending twists still work; read as popular literature in its historical context, it actually reveals the tastes of the period.

Is it suitable for learning English or practicing translation?

It can serve as supplementary material, but is not recommended as a first choice. The text contains much old-fashioned colloquialism and slang, which poses a barrier for non-native readers. With a good command of English, it can be used to observe the rhythm of short-story dialogue; in translation practice, attention must be paid to rendering period flavor rather than making it sound too modern.

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About the author

Bunner, H. C. (Henry Cuyler), 1855-1896 Author

Henry Cuyler Bunner (H. C. Bunner, 1855–1896) was an American author and editor; his life is little covered in the Chinese-speaking world, and publicly available information is limited. Four of his works are included here, mostly on New York urban and suburban life. The Story of a New York House is built around a New York residence, while Jersey Street and Jersey Lane: Urban and Suburban Sketches uses essayistic pieces to portray city streets and suburban scenes. Short Sixes: Stories to be Read While the Candle Burns and More Short Sixes collect short stories; their titles suggest brief tales suited to reading by candlelight, reflecting a light, readable style attentive to everyday detail. Together these works offer close observation of nineteenth-century American city life and the pleasures of short narrative, and should appeal to readers interested in the urban writing of that era.