Short stories from a master. Highlights are "Mene Mene Tekel Upharsin" and "The Honest Well Digger" ( )

Are these short stories? they are not realistic and have little narrative, rather they are extended metaphors for his state of mind. They seem to be his ways for dealing with what life has given him, both his own character and the circumstances of his life. ( )

The World of Apples (1973) was the last book of new short fiction that would appear in Cheever's lifetime and the stories in this volume were originally published in magazines going back as far as 1961. The book has the feel of a valedictory, though Cheever was far from through and would publish one of his greatest works in a few years. The best stories here ("The Fourth Alarm," "The Jewels of the Cabots," and the title story) demonstrate that in his sixties Cheever remained an ebullent and original writer of short fiction. These stories overflow with the inventive language and surprising imagery for which the author was famous, and present the reader with a memorable cast of eccentric and entertaining characters. The other stories in the volume are diminished by comparison, and one or two are frankly trivial. Still, The World of Apples is a strong collection and has stood up well over the years. A finalist for the National Book Award in 1974. ( )