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Notes
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E. Morris Miller's Australian Literature From Its Beginnings to 1935 (1940): 749-750 comments that this is the first collection of O'Ferrall's short stories under his own name. It observes that : 'O'Ferrall's stories reflect whimsical phases of city life. He rarely wanders into the bush. He finds his subjects in restaurants, boarding houses, hotels, newspaper offices, streets and parks. Romantic episodes are not common. He discovers bizarre situations in which he places beings, both animal and human, that delight us by their effective distortions. They are easily recognizable in their Australian settings, but might be transported to city environments in other parts of the world. O'Ferrall uses no guile, has no surprises, and indulges rarely in sensationalism. Everything that happens is just what one is led to expect. The humour is in the situation. O'Ferrall's approach has the air of casualness. His characters win one's interest, if not one's sympathy. This result is due to his artistry. He knows how to disengage what is human from natural surroundings. As a depictor of episodes and moods O'Ferrall has to be reckoned with in any critical study of the Australian short story.'
Contents
* Contents derived from the
Sydney,
New South Wales,:N.S.W. Bookstall Company
, 1922 version. Please note that other versions/publications may contain different contents. See the Publication Details.
-
The Lobster and the Lioness,
single work
short story
humour
Thomson, clutching his lobster, is being escorted home from the pub by the friendly policeman, Murphy, when they encounter an escaped circus lion. Murphy bolts, but Thomson, mistaking the lion for a large dog, is unpeturbed. The lioness follows Thomson back to his boarding house and mayhem ensues.
- Louis XIV and the Lodger, single work short story (p. 17-27)
- Most Superior People, single work short story (p. 28-42)
-
The Sympathy Bureau,
single work
short story
American Elvin G. Barnstutter arrives in Australia full of plans to make his fortune. He installs Laura Jane Sweetbread, a widow living in the same boarding house, in an office with two typists and proceeds to advertise his new business, The Sympathy Bureau. The purpose of the Bureau is to extend the sympathy and influence of Mrs Sweetbread, the 'sweetest and wisest' of women, to those who are alone in the world. The Bureau is a success, but Mrs Sweetbread begins to change.
- The Boarders Revolver, single work short story humour (p. 55-64)
- The Reincarnated Cabman, single work short story humour (p. 63-74)
- A Set of Furs, single work short story (p. 75-83)
- Two Rounds, single work short story humour (p. 84-89)
- The Mysterious Lodger, single work short story humour (p. 90-99)
- Father's Birthday, single work short story (p. 100-108)
- Sideshows, single work short story (p. 109-122)
- A House of Flames, single work short story (p. 123-136)
-
The Opium Eaters,
single work
short story
humour
A group of illegal Chinese immigrants escape the police by hiding in a room in a boarding house. The room's occupant, Bodger, returns unexpectedly and sets off an unfortunate chain of events.
- Two Pale Lovers, single work short story (p. 152-161)
- The Ideal Servant, single work short story (p. 162-172)
- A House of Insults, single work short story (p. 173-182)
- The Return of the Boarder, single work short story (p. 183-198)
Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of
Works about this Work
-
An Outline of Australian Literature : Fifth Period Continued - Chapter XXI
1930
single work
criticism
biography
— Appears in: An Outline of Australian Literature 1930; (p. 256-262) -
Bodger and the Boarders
1921
single work
review
— Appears in: Northern Territory Times and Gazette , 16 June 1921; (p. 4)
— Review of Bodger and the Boarders 1922 selected work short story With the author acclaimed as 'pre-eminent among Australian writers of humor', the selection of humorous stories receives praise for its 'laugh or two on every page'. -
The Bookstall Series
1921
single work
review
— Appears in: The Queenslander , 11 June 1921; (p. 3)
— Review of Bodger and the Boarders 1922 selected work short story ; A Rough Passage 1920 single work novel
-
The Bookstall Series
1921
single work
review
— Appears in: The Queenslander , 11 June 1921; (p. 3)
— Review of Bodger and the Boarders 1922 selected work short story ; A Rough Passage 1920 single work novel -
Bodger and the Boarders
1921
single work
review
— Appears in: Northern Territory Times and Gazette , 16 June 1921; (p. 4)
— Review of Bodger and the Boarders 1922 selected work short story With the author acclaimed as 'pre-eminent among Australian writers of humor', the selection of humorous stories receives praise for its 'laugh or two on every page'. -
An Outline of Australian Literature : Fifth Period Continued - Chapter XXI
1930
single work
criticism
biography
— Appears in: An Outline of Australian Literature 1930; (p. 256-262)
Last amended 10 Jun 2016 12:21:48
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