Act of Faith and Other Stories
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 First edition | |
| Author | Irwin Shaw |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Random House |
Publication date | 1946 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (hardback) |
| Pages | 212 |
| ISBN | 978-1299930919 |
Act of Faith and Other Stories is a collection of short fiction by Irwin Shaw, published by Random House in 1946. [1][2]
Shaw's third collection of short stories, this volume deals largely with incidents related to World War II.[3][4]
The frequently anthologized title story, "Act of Faith," was included in O. Henry Prize Stories of 1946 and in The Best American Short Stories of 1947. "Act of Faith" was also included in The New Yorker's own anthology of war stories, Book of War Pieces (1947).[5][6]
Source:[7]
- "Preach on the Dusty Roads" (The New Yorker, August 22, 1942)
- "Faith at Sea" (The New Yorker, May 15, 1943)
- "Gunners' Passage" (The New Yorker, July 22, 1944)
- "Walking Wounded" (The New Yorker, May 13, 1944)
- "Hamlets of the World"
- "Retreat"
- "Part in a Play"
- "The Priest" (The New Yorker, April 7, 1945)
- "Night in Algiers" (The New Yorker, September 25, 1943)
- "Medal from Jerusalem"
- "The Veterans Reflect"
- "Act of Faith" (The New Yorker, February 2, 1946)
Reception
The Atlantic in the November 1946 issue describes the volume as "twelve masterful short stories...brief, compact, and poignant" concerning men and women overseas during World War II. The reviewer adds that the influence of Hemingway is apparent in the dialogue and the restrained and economical writing that advance the dramatic narratives.[8] Biographer Michael Shnayerson reports that critical assessment for the collection was positive, with Shaw widely identified as "one of America's best short story writers."[9] He cites New York Times critic Robert Gorman Davis, who wrote (August 26, 1946): "Irwin Shaw is a moral writer who conceives moral problems simply, feels them deeply, and dramatizes them with an often terrifying historical significance."[10][11]
Critical appraisal
Literary critic James R. Giles observes that "Shaw's publishers for most of his career have recognized the central importance of his short stories in any evaluation of his career."[12] In particular, Act of Faith and Other Stories includes "memorable tales of war."[13]
Biographer Michael Shnayerson offers this high praise for the collection's title piece: "'Act of Faith' remains one of Shaw's best stories, arguably the finest of those about the war."[14][15]