Patricia Highsmith

Selected Novels and Short Stories

By: Patricia Highsmith

Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot, Cassandra Campbell

The remarkable renaissance of Patricia Highsmith continues with the publication of Patricia Highsmith: Selected Novels and Short Stories, featuring the groundbreaking novels Strangers on a Train and The Price of Salt as well as a trove of penetrating short stories. With a critical introduction by Joan Schenkar, situating Highsmith’s classic works within her own tumultuous life, this book provides a useful guide to some of her most dazzlingly seductive writing. Strangers on a Train, transformed into a legendary film by Alfred Hitchcock, displays Highsmith’s genius for psychological characterization and tortuous suspense, while The Price of Salt, with its lesbian lovers and a creepy PI, provides a thrilling and highly controversial depiction of “the love that dare not speak its name”. This book firmly establishes Highsmith’s centrality to American culture by presenting key works that went on to influence half a century of literature and film. Abandoned by the wider reading public in her lifetime, Highsmith finally gets the canonical recognition that is her due.

©2011 Diogenes Verlag AG, Zurich; 1993 by Diogenes Verlag AG, Zurich; Introduction 2011 by W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. (P)2010 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Patricia Highsmith’s novels are peerlessly disturbing…bad dreams that keep us thrashing for the rest of the night.” ( New Yorker)

Mixed review

I have mixed feelings about this book. After seeing the movie years ago, I wanted to listen to Strangers on a Train. It was my favorite story in the book. Several of the short stores were interesting. The Price of Salt was my least favorite. A brave subject to write about because of the decade it was written. I found the story drawn out and boring with too much dialogue. The two narrators did a good job. The only reason I gave the book 4 stars was because of Strangers on a Train.

excellent writer and good performers

What made the experience of listening to Patricia Highsmith the most enjoyable?

Stranger on a Train (yes the book Hitchcock based his great movie on) is the best kind of psychological thriller.

Long before "Carol," I admired and respected Ms. Highsmith

Her writing is sublime. Her stories rich with authentic emotional details. The angst of life and moral dilemmas vividly detailed. This is a full measure of her talent for real life storytelling. She captivates you with problematic characters which you can hold up to your self mirror. Sheer rather gruesome delight.

Great story

What made the experience of listening to Patricia Highsmith the most enjoyable?

The feel of the story. Some of the plot could guessed but not the ending.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Really did not have 1 favorite character but the first story in the book was my favorite.

What about Bronson Pinchot and Cassandra Campbell ’s performance did you like?

Bronson was great! Cassandra was ok

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Nothing extreme was enjoyed.

Any additional comments?

I would recommend this book

Good interpretations

What made the experience of listening to Patricia Highsmith the most enjoyable?

As a Highsmith fan, I'd already read most of these stories myself. I don't normally listen to stories but I got this Audible because in listening to another person read to you, you pick up different nuances to the story and somewhat of a different interpretation as well. That proved true here to great effect, although it can be a little jarring to have an idea of what a character sounds like in your head be different to that of the narrator's interpretation!

Did Bronson Pinchot and Cassandra Campbell do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

I think audio narrators should stick to making voices for only characters of their own gender. Pinchot mimicking women's voices and Campbell mimicking male voices was, for the most part, unintentionally hilarious. While it was entertaining it took away from the listening experience and from the story.

Pinchot uses the same slow drag which made different characters' dialogue run together. Campbell was all right, though I was disappointed in her "Carol" (The Price of Salt) voice which came off a little too nasally and high whereas in the story it's described as sultry and dark.

Aside from that, the narration was just fine.