Jump and Other Stories

This is a really good collection of stories by an important writer. The fact that SA apartheid has ended doesn't make the stories any less relevant in our present world of prejudice and denial.

Fantastic stories of Apartheid-era South Africa. Nadine Gordimer is a fantastic writer.

great book

Gordimer’s writing style throughout her short stories grants her audience a unique and demystifying perspective into the internal affairs of South Africa during its Apartheid period. Her stories, while all unique in their own right, each convey the implications of systemic racism on a societal, and more importantly, individual level. Her investigation into the psychological strain placed on her characters brings them to life, and affirms the consequences of such division for all parties involved. These archetypes are prominently observable in her stories, such as in “What Were You Dreaming?,” “Once Upon a Time,” and “The Moment Before the Gun Went Off” for example. However, for me, such consistent similarities partially compromised my enjoyment of Gordimer’s unique endings, which often felt diminished by their trite predictability. Nevertheless, Gordimer’s collection provides a forceful account of the human condition, and compels her audience to grapple with the pressing issues she presents. I’d highly recommend "Jump and Other Stories" for anyone looking to gain a deeper understanding of life in the face of adversity and how resiliency can manifest in even the direst of circumstances.

I had to read this collection of stories from this book for my English class. To my surprise, some of the narratives within the book were very fun to read. Gordimer’s style of writing was so intriguing. Gordimer makes you want to continue reading towards the end as she sometimes has a little twist. I believe that this has also helped the audience search and better understand the main theme of the story she presents. One of the stories I found very comedic and intriguing was “Some are Born to Sweet Delight .” The story is built around ethnic and religious conflicts between families, and Gordimer includes an unexpected revelation at the end. Gordimer has a habit of ruining the development of her characters’ relationships and characteristics, but this shock factor is a reason why I found her stories very enjoyable to read. I recommend this book to those who have an interest in creative writing about the theme of humanity and society.

I had to read a collection of these stories for my English class. The stories quite often averted my expectations in surprising ways. The dark tone of many of the stories reflects the sad state of society. It provides interesting insight into relations between different races and cultures within South Africa. These stories provided perspective about a society I didn't know too well and how South Africa was post-Apartheid. One of my favorite stories in this collection is, "The Moment Before the Gun Went Off." It was the first one I read in this collection and what it reveals about society and the mob mentality of people is striking. The way that the tone in the stories shifts so easily is very jarring, but brings forth an enticing shock factor. It also discusses thought-provoking themes about humanity and society as a whole.Funny enough, the only thing I really have against this collection is that the stories are actually quite long, so they aren't technically "short," but semantics, right?

I received it on time. Well packaged. It's clean, neat and good. Thanks

I read about 10 short stories in this book for my English class and I throughly enjoyed them. I found Gordimer's writing style and nuances very intriguing. The way she specifically complicates certain points in a story in order to make it clear to the reader that this is an important part of the story is something I found to be very effective and helpful in conducting an analysis. My favorite story from this collection is "Once Upon a Time." I found this entire story to be very interesting and fun to read. The sort of polarizing lens Gordimer shows the family through makes it seem like almost a post-apocalyptic society in which everyone's trying to hide from each other and keep their families safe from "the other." I found this story to be especially helpful in explaining the Apartheid in South Africa and how far these racial discriminations spread throughout society. She also does a really good job of showcasing the dangers of hiding from "the other" as the child is eventually revealed dead at the end due to the extreme safety measures the family and their neighbors took. Overall, I think Gordimer's work is incredible in depicting the situation in South Africa during the Apartheid and the aftermath of it.

Beautiful packaging. Very quick delivery

Stunning. A real literary slap on the face. I really enjoyed Gordimer's virtuous writing. I thoroughly recommend reading this short story collection.

Just great and dark. I recommend purchasing a box of tissues as well.

Excellent

Very well written and deeply analytical short stories that portray different parts of the South African society under the apartheid regime.