Donald Barthelme's 'Sixty Stories' is celebrated for its witty and intelligent prose, with a style that sparkles and often induces laughter. The collection is noted for its avant-gardist flair and experimental nature, though it ultimately aims to entertain rather than challenge deeply.
Donald Barthelme's 'Sixty Stories' is a collection that has left a lasting impression on readers since its publication. The stories are known for their brilliant openings and witty prose, which often sparkle with intelligence and humor. Barthelme's ability to create engaging narratives is evident in his use of dry, clear language and his knack for making readers laugh with surprise. The collection is characterized by its avant-gardist flair, broken lines, and an air of experiment, which is reminiscent of the assemblages of Robert Rauschenberg and the combinations of idea and image in Jasper Johns. Despite the experimental nature of the stories, the primary goal is to entertain and make the reader sit up and laugh. The stories often play with disparate elements, words, and images, creating a unique collage that was particularly resonant with the cultural climate of the time. Overall, Barthelme's 'Sixty Stories' is a collection that is fiercely committed to showing the reader a good time, with a sense of enjoyment that permeates the vast proportion of the work.
Quick quotes
The style sparkled with intelligence; it was dry and clear.
But the dryness was not a fetish; he could be, and he certainly is, on rereading, not just witty but extremely funny.
The chief thing to say about Barthelme, beyond praise for his skill, which seems to me supererogatory, is that he is fiercely committed to showing us a good time, at least in the vast proportion of his work.