Saturday 5 August 2006

The world's shortest novel

According to Umberto Eco, who's the sort of chap who knows this sort of thing, this, by Augusto Monterroso, is the world's shortest novel: El Dinosaurio ('The Dinosaur'). Here it is, the whole thing:
Cuando despertó, el dinosaurio todavía estaba allí.
("When he awoke, the dinosaur was still there.")
Think about it. Comments on the plot and theme will be entertained below.

TAGS: Books

25 comments:

Paula said...

That's great! The perfect Friday night read while sipping Bailey's. If I forget part of the story, easy peasy to go back and check what happened. :)

leelion said...

I wonder if that book by Bob Jones titled something like "the achievements of the Labour Party from 19... to 19... counts as it was full of blank pages ha ha

Anonymous said...

The last one I heard was:

"The last man on earth heard a knock on the door"

But in honesty, I believe that was the shortest short-story in the world. Of course, it's been 15 years since I went on that writing course.

ZenTiger said...

It's a bummer if you are paid on word count.

Ro-Z said...

It's so hard to forget it's easy to forget, if you know what I mean. *.*
Pretty clever idea, actually!

CoolKid said...

The shortest novel ever would be written is "Achievements of Politicians to general public" - 0 words. The lengthiest novel ever to be penned would be "Evils politicians cause" (Only problem is that this novel will never get finished)

Glynn James said...

I think the shortest was written by Ernest Hemingway, in 6 words

"For sale: baby shoes, never worn."

Unknown said...

lmfao

Anonymous said...

it's short story.

Anonymous said...

Not really a story. Just a sentence
😒

Peter Cresswell said...

But a very pregnant sentence ...

Unknown said...

Amazing

Unknown said...

I dont understand what was it.

Thanos said...

Why the hell nobody understands this story? Before you comment, just think: why the shoes were never worn?

Unknown said...

It was a story the author kept hidden in these few words. The baby shoes were made before the baby took birth, but unfortunately the baby died during birth. Hence, the sentence.

Unknown said...

Think about it, doesn't it tell a story?

Unknown said...

I thik i dont understand what is it

Anonymous said...

Baby shoes never worn because Hemingways child did not live or an abstract way of saying Hemingway himself was never allowed to truly be a child, forced to be adult like during infant years, close to birth so he never got to wear baby shoes.

Deacon Brown said...

Yes. He bet he could make six men cry with six words. He won the bet.

Raisa said...

But whats the meaning actually? I dont get it at all....

Unknown said...

If,when,occur.Met.

Unknown said...

I tought the worlds shortest novell was
Fore sale: baby shoes, never worn

Unknown said...

I think I can't understand the essence of the noble.

Anonymous said...

Oh look I just memorised a *NOVEL*

Anonymous said...

I am really getting astonished at this! Pretty brain storming! 🦖