⇒ PDF Free Impromptu Scribe edition by Alex Morritt James Lucas Meagan Dyer Literature Fiction eBooks

Impromptu Scribe edition by Alex Morritt James Lucas Meagan Dyer Literature Fiction eBooks

Download As PDF : Impromptu Scribe edition by Alex Morritt James Lucas Meagan Dyer Literature Fiction eBooks

Impromptu Scribe edition by Alex Morritt James Lucas Meagan Dyer Literature Fiction eBooks

I hardly know what to say about this unusual book. It’s not really a collection of short stories, as most of the very brief entries don’t really have an end. It’s more a collection of character sketches, such as you might find at the beginning of a very complicated book before the action really gets going. The author is a very good writer, and within the space of a few short pages you get to know each character quite well. They’re all unique and relatable. But the situation each finds him or herself in remains unfinished. On one hand, this allows the reader to use his own imagination to complete the story or mentally wander off on various paths. But if you like a nice wrap-up to your readings, you won’t find it here.

The author uses the semi-colon in an odd but consistent way, which is so regular that I have to assume it’s purposeful. It makes some paragraphs read more like poetry than prose, and indeed I began reading with a poetical rhythm partway through the book. This gives many of the pieces a dreamy, slightly removed air, as if one is looking in on a snippet of the personal life of someone from a distance. But this detachment isn’t evident in all the entries. There are some that are warmer and more complete (my favorite has to do with a lagging child and his view of the apartment above him as he walks to school).

I would recommend this collection to people who enjoy reading well-done character sketches rather than those who expect some sort of conclusion. Perhaps in the future this author will present us with another such collection that concentrates on the second scenes, and a third that presents the conclusions. That would be as unique as this book.


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Impromptu Scribe edition by Alex Morritt James Lucas Meagan Dyer Literature Fiction eBooks Reviews

As an American expat living in Guatemala I purchased "Impromptu Scribe" after learning that the author was to appear at a book signing close to my village at Lake Atitlàn. Because I really enjoyed his two prior works, "Guises Guyana" and "Glimpses of Guatemala," I was excited to read this newest book.

As a lover of languages I immediately noticed the Morritt's delightful and creative use of vocabulary. I especially enjoyed finding words such as forensic enthusiasm, starving mites (little children), sprog (akin to the American 'Rugrat'), and prevaricating.

Although this is a compilation of short stories, some consisting of a mere three pages, each tale is expertly written in such a way that allows the reader to feel a genuine connection with the characters and to become fully engaged in the plot.

The medley of themes and variety of locations are lovely. The author brings us on a journey to the mountains of Guatemala in "Words in the Wind," whisks us away to a small village in England in "A trip Down Memory Lane," and then we're plummeted down to the depths of the freezing arctic waters in "Survival."

In my review title say that Morritt's work is one that shares the joys and sorrows of the human experience because that's exactly how I felt as I eagerly moved from story to story. Reading this book reminded me of watching those emotion-packed films where one moment you're doing all you can to not begin sobbing aloud at the intensely dramatic story line, when the focus of the plot suddenly shifts (captivating the viewer's heart along the way) to a lighthearted scene where we see something so lovely that it makes our souls blossom with joy.

In "Scribe," for example, even as my heart was still breaking for Carlos at the end of "Afternoon Rain" I flipped over to the chapter "Peeping Tom" and was absolutely tickled by Tom's surprise reaction when he caught sight of Mr. Phipps' lover. Who could have possibly guessed that the old man had been secretly stowing away his sweetheart in a shed?

Then my empathy for Poor Marco and his impossible predicament in "The Dilemma" was followed by me laughing aloud at Hector who "had sniffed his way around Paris" so that he could indulge in his not so secret foot fetish.

Santos, the young Mayan boy of "Words in the Wind" who flies his handmade kite in the Guatemalan mountains in memory of his grandfather, especially tugged at my heartstrings. Followed by "Fruits de Mer," which was as mischievous, playful and provocative as one could hope for, complete with a very unexpected twist that left me smiling for hours afterwards.

I found it difficult to chose a favorite, but the hauntingly beautiful passage in "Eternal Notes" where it reads "...the scent of her favourite perfume instantly reconnected them as if via some olfactory sliding door to the other side," was truly unforgettable.

Although I purchase almost all of my books in the kindle edition simply because it's just so convenient for traveling, I will certainly order additional hard copies of "Impromptu Scribe." The books will make excellent gifts and I plan leave one for my house guests to flip through. The nice thing about this compilation of short stories is that it lends itself to any reader one who has only ten minutes but wants to be lifted up and carried away by a beautiful tale or another, like me, who couldn't help but read them all in one sitting.
Here is a collection of short stories and vignettes--some amusing, some sad, all thoughtful--brought vividly alive by masterful description. Each piece examines a different aspect of life. The author dips us into it, so we can understand and feel the protagonist's view. The hopes, the tragedies.

Morritt narrows our focus to the size of a knothole through which we view each piece differently. We can make out a beginning, middle, and end for some, which constitutes a story, however short. Morritt begins with what might be his best short story, Fallen from Grace. An actor is brought to trial for misconduct, and we are treated to a surprise ending.

For others, our view is so small, we can see only what appears to be the beginning of a story, with nothing following, as in the piece, Birdmen, which feels frustratingly abandoned . And then there is the view so small, that it is more a thoughtful observation. The Art of Conversation is such a piece.
Through each piece, the author writes from wide experience, so his descriptions strike a note of truth.

My favorite is Words in the Wind, about a kite and a divine connection.
I hardly know what to say about this unusual book. It’s not really a collection of short stories, as most of the very brief entries don’t really have an end. It’s more a collection of character sketches, such as you might find at the beginning of a very complicated book before the action really gets going. The author is a very good writer, and within the space of a few short pages you get to know each character quite well. They’re all unique and relatable. But the situation each finds him or herself in remains unfinished. On one hand, this allows the reader to use his own imagination to complete the story or mentally wander off on various paths. But if you like a nice wrap-up to your readings, you won’t find it here.

The author uses the semi-colon in an odd but consistent way, which is so regular that I have to assume it’s purposeful. It makes some paragraphs read more like poetry than prose, and indeed I began reading with a poetical rhythm partway through the book. This gives many of the pieces a dreamy, slightly removed air, as if one is looking in on a snippet of the personal life of someone from a distance. But this detachment isn’t evident in all the entries. There are some that are warmer and more complete (my favorite has to do with a lagging child and his view of the apartment above him as he walks to school).

I would recommend this collection to people who enjoy reading well-done character sketches rather than those who expect some sort of conclusion. Perhaps in the future this author will present us with another such collection that concentrates on the second scenes, and a third that presents the conclusions. That would be as unique as this book.