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New England author Ben Shattuck and his brother own and operate America’s oldest continuously operating general store, opened in 1793 in their hometown of Dartmouth, Massachusetts. Shattuck’s recently published book, “The History of Sound,” is deeply rooted in New England.
The collection of 12 short stories, several of which have been previously published, is set in the form of “Hook and Chain,” described in an introductory note as “A song or poem form popularized in eighteenth-century New England in which the first and last lines rhyme and contain rhyming couplets within. . . .The second half of the couplet often completes the sentence or sentiment of the first.”
The 12 stories follow this pattern. The first, “The History of Sound,” is set in the early decades of the 20th century and depicts the relationship of David and Lionel as they spent a summer together spent recording New England folk songs on primitive wax cylinders. The final story, “Origin Stories,” set decades later, describes the reaction of a suburban housewife who finds the cylinders secretly cached away in an old house she and her husband have recently bought.
The remaining 10 stories form couplets connected by historical events but separated by decades or even centuries.
The short story form of literature is sometimes characterized as being long on conflict and resolution, but short on character development. Shattuck’s stories defy this convention. His characters are memorable; their development plays a vital role in moving his narratives forward.
“The History of Sound,” is a book well suited for the reader who enjoys reading something before turning off the bedside light at night. Each story is a skillfully crafted piece of writing that can stand alone, but after completing the book the reader will have a deepened appreciation for the author’s devotion to his native New England and the character of those who live (and lived) there.
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