Short Fiction
What is Short Fiction about?
This collection of R. A. Lafferty’s short fiction showcases one of the most unique voices in all of American literature. Lafferty’s stories are unlike anything else: they combine the energy of Irish tall tales, the depth of Catholic theology, the flavor of Native American folklore, and the wild inventiveness of the best speculative fiction into narratives that are simultaneously hilarious, profound, and utterly unpredictable. A typical Lafferty story might feature a man who can literally reshape reality, a town that exists simultaneously in multiple dimensions, or a group of children who are secretly the most powerful beings in the universe—all told in prose of extraordinary verbal inventiveness and exuberance. His humor is sui generis: broad and subtle simultaneously, rooted in both frontier storytelling and philosophical paradox. Lafferty’s fiction rewards rereading; meanings and connections emerge on each encounter that were invisible before.
Main themes in Short Fiction
Absurdist Science Fiction
The presence of absurdist science fiction in Short Fiction connects readers to its enduring relevance.
Tall Tale Fantasy
Short Fiction thoughtfully explores tall tale fantasy through its central conflicts.
Catholic Imagination
Catholic Imagination emerges as a defining element in Short Fiction, shaping character development.
Linguistic Invention
Short Fiction thoughtfully explores linguistic invention through its central conflicts.
Why Short Fiction is still relevant today
Lafferty’s short fiction offers a reading experience available from no other writer. His stories are perfect for readers seeking something genuinely different—fiction that combines laughter, wonder, and intellectual depth in equal measure.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Lafferty’s stories about?
Wild, inventive tales combining theology, folklore, humor, and speculative premises into narratives unlike anything else in literature. Read them free on TextStack.
Are Lafferty’s stories difficult to read?
The prose is accessible and often hilarious, but the ideas are deep and the narratives unpredictable. They reward attention and rereading.
Which Lafferty story should I read first?
Any story in this collection makes a good starting point. The experience of reading Lafferty for the first time is one of literature’s great pleasures.
Who admires Lafferty’s work?
Neil Gaiman, Gene Wolfe, Samuel R. Delany, and many other distinguished writers have praised Lafferty as an irreplaceable genius of fantastic fiction.