On October 3 Mary Beth Kibbe will present commentary on short works by major novelists, including Leo Tolstoy, John Steinbeck, Katharine Anne Porter, and Willa Cather.  The remarks could be intense, but the review is promised to be relatively short.

As a relatively new development, short stories help readers to sample works of excellent writers without the time investment of a long novel.  They can also familiarize a reader with the writer’s style.  Short stories provide advantages both for the reader and the writer.  Readers can consume a story in a single sitting while experiencing a unified tale with a strong—often obvious—theme.  A writer focuses on a limited narrative that incorporates high-quality imagery.

Developed in the nineteenth century when print media became readily accessible and middle classes could read, stories provided ready entertainment and a means of improving one’s reading.  Since then, short stories have made fine literature easy to be enjoyed by people of varying ages and backgrounds.

Kibbe was a high school teacher of English and literature at Jersey Shore High School prior to her retirement. She is a member of the Board of the Friends of the J.V. Brown Library and the Rowley House Museum.

The review begins at 12:15PM in the Lowry Room of the Welch Family Wing of the James V. Brown Library with a Q&A from 12:45-1:00PM. Complimentary snacks and bottled water will be available. Attendees are also welcome to bring their own lunch. Reservations are required due to space considerations. Please call the library at 570-326-0536 or use the library’s online reservation calendar (calendar.jvbrown.edu) before 3:00PM on Wednesday, October 1. Parking is available in the public lot off Market Street, adjacent to the Welch Wing.