The Best Continental Short Stories of 1926/Preface

by Richard Eaton

PREFACE

 

THE BEST CONTINENTAL SHORT STORIES OF 1926

The short story is a literary reflection of contemporary civilization. It is not strange therefore that the Continental short story should differ as radically from the American product as the foreign student from one of our own university graduates. The exigencies of Continental civilization do not require a short story which is in reality a condensed novel. Life is not strenuous enough on the Continent to influence the form and character of the short story. Tradition, particularly that of the medieval story-teller, is a far more important factor in the shaping of the Continental short story. As my readers can judge, the Continental short story is, despite certain exceptions, more philosophical and less complete than its American brother. At least, such is its general characteristic, for the Continental short story includes the literary efforts of more than twoscore races, each exerting its own peculiar influence on the literary products of its writers.

Like the city of New York, the Continental short story is an anomaly, the reflection of the traditions and customs of a score of nations. Just as the emigrant from Poland, Albania, or Timbuctoo is influenced from the very day of his arrival by American ideals, so the Continental short story, whether Spanish, Lettish, or Danish, represents the life and culture of the Continent still at the pinnacle of its artistic triumph.

There are, however, upon close analysis, eight distinct racial groups of short story writers, the Latin, Scandinavian, Balkan, Baltic, German, North Slavic, Magyar, and Finnish.

In the case of the German group, comprising Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, there is a closer affinity between the Teutonic short story and that which we know in America. One remarks, however, a tendency towards the futurist, the exotic, much as in the case of modern Teutonic art.

In sharp contrast, the North Slavic group, including Russia, Poland, Czechoslovakia and Jugoslavia, is distinctly naturalistic. There is no effort, however, to create the polished and perfectly balanced American short story.

The Latin group, including Spain, Italy, and Portugal, is distinctly nationalistic. The catholicism of Goya, the philosophy of Boccaccio, the supernaturalism of Rossi, are the primary characteristics of the Latin short story.

The Scandinavian conteurs, like the novelists, reflect the phlegmatic sophistication of their race.

In the Balkans, one finds the folk-lore of the Middle Ages modernized and converted into something resembling more a local legend than a short story.

The Magyar short story is perhaps the most surprising. One would expect it to be rich in detail and discussion of modern life, much as the Slavic tales. The Hungarians of to-day prefer almost invariably the mystery story based upon a legend as the example in this year’s volume. This form of short story has become known throughout European literature as the “Magyar” type.

The task of choosing the “best” short story of 1925–26 in each country is none too easy, for the choice is as wide in the case of certain nations as it is limited in the case of others. I have been guided therefore in my selection, not only by the usual standards of unity, construction, style, interest and completeness of plot, but by a consideration of the customs and intellectual development of each nation.

The Yearbook of the Continental Short Story which represents the bibliography of this volume is necessarily incomplete, since it includes only those works which either one of my assistants or I have read. I should be greatly indebted if the various publishers and editors of magazines whose names are not included in the Yearbook would forward to me in care of the Credit Lyonnais, 19 Boul. des Italiens, Paris, France, copies of their magazines, books, or catalogues, in order that they may be inserted in future volumes.

R.E.