Cover of Come Back, Dr. Caligari

Come Back, Dr. Caligari

by Donald Barthelme · 1964

+ Want to read

In 1964, Barthelme collected his early stories in Come Back, Dr. Caligari, for which he received considerable critical acclaim as an innovator of the short story form. His style (fictional and popular figures in absurd situations, e.g., the Batman-inspired "The Joker's Greatest Triumph"), spawned a number of imitators and would help to define the next several decades of short fiction.

Genre
literary fictionliterary fictionMore like thisLess of this
Setting
1960s1960sMore like thisLess of thisUSAUSAMore like thisLess of this
Audience
adult
Length
short · 184 pages
Form
short storiesshort storiesMore like thisLess of this

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“If you want more of the same (literary fiction), start with these.”

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“If it was the short stories that hooked you, try one of these.”

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“These start from a similar idea, even if they go somewhere else with it.”

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