The Collected Stories of Peter Taylor

Described by Anne Tyler as "the undisputed master of the short story form," Peter Taylor imbued his stories with a powerful sense of the conflicts between the old rural society and the increasingly urbanized South. Ranging in subject from the story of the exposure of a respected doctor's infidelity by the family's longtime cook to the tale of elderly siblings whose party for young people exposes the town's class divisions, the stories often explore family dynamics within the larger society of the South. Peter Taylorwas the author of eight short story collections and three novels, including A Summons to Memphis, for which he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize. Described by Anne Tyler as "the undisputed master of the short story form," Peter Taylor imbued his stories with a powerful sense of the conflicts between the old rural society and the increasingly urbanized South. Ranging in subject from the story of the exposure of a respected doctor's infidelity by the family's longtime cook to the tale of elderly siblings whose party for young people exposes the town's class divisions, the stories often explore family dynamics within the larger society of the South. "[Taylor] comes as close as an American writer can to rivaling Chekhov."--The New York Times "Taylor is a master of the short story form . . . [His is] an extraordinary gift, too often absent in contemporary fiction."--Gail Caldwell,The Boston Sunday Globe "[Taylor] writes prose as clear as a fine pane of glass."--Time "No one writing in English can do more with a short story . . . He is a master."--Geoffrey Wolff,Newsweek "[Taylor] has achieved utter mastery in short fiction."--Jonathan Yardley,The Washington Post Book World

Peter Taylor (1917-94) was also the author of A Summons to Memphis, for which he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize.

“He comes as close as an American writer can to rivaling Chekhov.” —The New York Times
“[Taylor] writes prose as clear as a fine pane of glass.” —Time “No one writing in English can do more with a short story . . . He is a master.” —Geoffrey Wolff, Newsweek “[Taylor] has achieved utter mastery in short fiction.” —Jonathan Yardley, The Washington Post Book World