skip to main content

Reader's Paradise

Anyone know the title/author of this short story (SPOILERS!)

17 years ago

Years ago in college, I read a short story in one of my classes. It was about an elderly woman who is getting ready to go to the park for a summertime concert. Much of the story is spent with her getting ready; in particular there's a big production of her getting out a mink hat (or maybe scarf??). She wears this mink hat (or scarf) to the concert; it's her special hat that comes out just for these concerts. (SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!!) The story ends when she overhears some younger people making fun of her beloved hat, and she leaves the concert and goes home dejected.

This story has always really stuck with me; I think it's one of the saddest things I've ever read. I would love to re-read it (and any other stories this author has maybe written), but I can't remember the title OR the author of the story!

Anyone have any ideas who the author could be of this gem? Or what the title is?

Thanks!

Kelly

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

friedag
17 years ago
Could it be "Miss Brill" by Katherine Mansfield? I'm pretty sure it is, but I can't recall if the fur was a hat or stole or something else. It is a poignant piece, a gem as you say.
kren250
Original Author
17 years ago
THANK YOU THANK YOU!!

I'm on my way to the library now to pick it up!
Related Discussions
Light hearted short stories for cancer patient?
Q
Comments (12)
Thank you everyone for all your support. I am very happy to have spent the time asking the question. There are lots of titles listed that I completely overlooked and many that I will have to look into. My mom lives in the philippines and is old fashioned. She spent lots of time teaching and helping others as a social worker so maybe those 20th century country tales so I appreciate your suggestions Liz and Yoyobon. Thank you Ccrdmrbks. I am trying to relate to how my mom is feeling right now but I can't imagine it. We just celebrated my eldest sister's marriage last week so I think her emotions must be quite a mixture as well. Miss Read sounds promising. A friend highly reccomended Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe a long time back simply as a read to enjoy but I haven't gotten around to it. Anyone know if it would be appropriate for the situation? Comedy is an interesting idea. Though it may be hard to find something she relates to. I'll ask her and see if she has any favourites. Thank you all again so much, I've got all the titles written down and am going to do some research now! Take care and God bless! : )
...See More
Favorite Short Stories
Q
Comments (13)
I loved Kurt Vonnegut's collection Welcome to the Monkey House and Roald Dahl's Tales of the Unexpected and More Tales of the Unexpected. Another collection I enjoyed was Jhumpa Lahiri's Interpreter of Maladies. If you like mysteries, try a collection of the best Father Brown stories by Chesterton, the best of Sherlock Holmes by Doyle, and the best Dr. Thorndyke stories by R. Austin Freeman. For fantasy, I second the suggestion of Neil Gaiman, and would like to add Fritz Leiber (also good for science fiction short stories) and Lord Dunsany. Then there are classic short story authors like Aesop, Poe, O. Henry, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Guy de Maupassant and James Joyce ("The Dead" from Dubliners has been called the best short story written in the English language). The A Thousand and One Nights can be seen as a collection of short stories contained withing a framework story, as can The Decameron and The Canterbury Tales. Shirley Jackson's short story "The Lottery" is one of the best short stories I have read.
...See More
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle (SPOILERS!!)
Q
Comments (47)
My reason for coming here was the same as aputz. At first I was furious about the ending and I wanted to see what others thought. But it has been days since I read it and it is still on my mind. Isn't that the best sign of a well-written book? Maybe his point is to leave us with more questions than answers. As frustrating as the ending is, the prose is beautiful and if the author writes another novel, I will certainly read it. I wasn't aware of the Hamlet connections and that has shed some new light on the themes. I haven't read Hamlet in so long, the parallels weren't instantly apparent. It has been a while since I have finished a novel and had it leaving me with this much thought. I recommend Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen if you are looking for another complex novel. And yes, the ending is happy. Thank you all for your thoughts.
...See More
Identify Old Sci-Fi Short Story?
Q
Comments (4)
The Kitchen Table forum has come through again! Peoniesandposies posted that she'd read it in a college lit course in the 1970's. And it's not by a "Sci-Fi" author at all. It's an E. M. Forster novella, "The Machine Stops", written in 1909! It's been made into a play and a BBC Four TV drama.
...See More
janalyn
17 years ago
I remember this story, too. My kids studied it in high school. It is available online, you don't have to go to the library.

Here is a link that might be useful: Miss Brill
lemonhead101
17 years ago
Aaaah. This story was so sad -- the crying at the end. Wow. I am a sucker for this stuff, and it got to me.

Thanks for posting the link. I would never have read it otherwise.

lemonhead
veer
17 years ago
This story has taken me back to various Great Aunts and other ladies of a 'certain age' who always wore these fox furs as they were known over here. Being small at the time I used to be on a level with the eyes and teeth of the fox and used to put out a tentative finger "Will it bite me?" To a small child they were very life-like.
bookmom41
17 years ago
Glad you were able to track down your sad hat story.
It reminded me of another, written by one of my favorite short story authors, Flannery O'Connor. The style is quite different from Miss Brill though.

Here is a link that might be useful: Everything that Rises Must Converge

Related Stories

ARCHITECTURE Tell a Story With Design for a More Meaningful Home

By Bud Dietrich, AIA

Go beyond a home's bones to find the narrative at its heart, for a more rewarding experience

ORGANIZING ‘Tidying Up’ Author Marie Kondo Tells How to ‘Spark Joy’ at Home

A new book from the author of ‘The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up’ delves deeper into her KonMari Method of decluttering and organizing

LIGHTING What to Know About Switching to LED Lightbulbs

By Karen Egly-Thompson

If you’ve been thinking about changing over to LEDs but aren't sure how to do it and which to buy, this story is for you

INSIDE HOUZZ Tell Us Your Houzz Success Story

Have you used the site to connect with professionals, browse photos and more to make your project run smoother? We want to hear your story

KITCHEN DESIGN The Cure for Houzz Envy: Kitchen Touches Anyone Can Do

By Becky Harris

Take your kitchen up a notch even if it will never reach top-of-the-line, with these cheap and easy decorating ideas

FUN HOUZZ Everything I Need to Know About Decorating I Learned from Downton Abbey

Mind your manors with these 10 decorating tips from the PBS series, returning on January 5

FURNITURE Must-Know Furniture: Bergères and Fauteuils

By Karen Egly-Thompson

These two classic French chairs are frequently misidentified. Big on comfort and easy on the eye, they are worth learning about

ARCHITECTURE Iconic Architecture: 10 Must-Know Modern Homes

These masterpieces of modern architecture are still influencing home design today — see if any elements appear in your own home

REMODELING GUIDES Know Your House: Components of Efficient Walls

By Bud Dietrich, AIA

Learn about studs, rough openings and more in traditional platform-frame exterior walls

LIFE Tell Us: Do You Know How to Live With Your Parents?

By Becky Harris

If you've tried multigenerational living under one roof, we'd love to hear the details

Sponsored

More Discussions

Holiday Game - Make a book title edible

39

February ......what are you reading !? ,

56

February 2024 Game

91

Help me find this quartet--WW II France

3

May----What are you reading?

19