A short story is the ultimate close-up magic trick -- a couple of thousand words to take you around the universe or break your heart.
Neil GaimanRead
The short story is still like the novel's wayward younger brother, we know that it's not respectable - but I think that can also add to the glory of it.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Short stories may be seen as lesser than novels, but their unique qualities can make them special.
In this quote, Neil Gaiman reflects on the perception of short stories compared to novels. He suggests that while short stories might be viewed as the 'wayward younger brother'—less respectable or serious—they possess their own charm and glory, highlighting the beauty in their brevity and creativity.
Themes
Short StoriesNovelsLiteratureCreativityGlory
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech at a literary festival to emphasize the importance of short stories in contemporary literature.
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As a teenager I wrote to R.A. Lafferty. And he responded, too, with letters that were like R.A. Lafferty short stories, filled with elliptical answers to straight questions and simple answers to complicated ones.
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Nothing’s changed. You’ll go home. You’ll be bored. You’ll be ignored. No one will listen to you, really listen to you. You’re too clever and too quiet for them to understand. They don’t even get your name right.
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I like the stars. It's the illusion of permanence, I think. I mean, they're always flaring up and caving in and going out. But from here, I can pretend...I can pretend that things last. I can pretend that lives last longer than moments. Gods come, and gods go. Mortals flicker and flash and fade. Worlds don't last; and stars and galaxies are transient, fleeting things that twinkle like fireflies and vanish into cold and dust. But I can pretend.
Neil GaimanRead
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