A shade of genuine regret for misused opportunities passed over Reginald’s face.
“After all,” he said, “I believe an apricot tie would have gone better with the lilac waistcoat.”
Saki, Reginald.
I’ve just realised with horror that I may not get a chance to write an Elegantly Dressed Wednesday post on the right day so, just in case, I’m going to twiddle with some dials and make sure that this superb photograph of Saki (or Hector Hugh Munro) is online at a minute past midnight.
I suppose it’s something to do with the fact that we no longer read magazines devoted to original fiction, but I lament the scarcity of the gripping, popular short story. If I reach under my bed on any given night, I’m sure to pull out a collection by O. Henry, Edgar Allen Poe, Richmal Crompton, PG Wodehouse, Arthur Conan Doyle or, of course Saki. Sure, I’ve got a few modern short story collections under there too, but it’s not the same.
After all, these days, no short story writer would ever get away with dressing so elegantly as Saki does in this photograph. Probably because they could never afford to.
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Comments
A most excellent choice! Both in terms of dress and literary genre - I am a huge short story fan. I used to use the one about the boy who shut his aunt in a woodshed a lot when I was a teacher.
Puss
Excellent choice and delicious photograph (which I’ve not seen before). I was introduced to Saki at the age of 14 and hungered for more.
I think its the almost lazy gaze that adds an awful lot to his elegance in that photo - not quite arrogance, and you can still love him for it. Definitely a brilliant choice of person and picture.
You know, for some reason I look at that pic and am reminded of a young Shane MacGowan. Not that I can find a picture that even remotely explains what I mean.
Puss: short stories are great in the classroom. I used to use them a lot - often ones I remembered from when I was pupil.
I must read all the Saki stories at least once a year. It’s not hard to hunger for more. I can’t remember who said that every guest bedroom should have a copy of Saki and of O. Henry placed next to the bed, but they were on to something.
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