A review by gengelcox
Mr. Higginbotham's Catastrophe by Nathaniel Hawthorne

funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

A marvelous story about a peddler addicted to stories such that, on the basis of a small whisper, expounds it into a mad tale that he spreads, only to discover that he is spreading falsehoods. Compared to many of Hawthorne’s other stories, this one moves at a nice clip and has some really memorable scenes, such as the gentlemen who snorts smoke into the peddler’s face to inform him he’s a liar and the pelting of rocks and mud when he leaves the village. In fact, if anything, the ending is a bit rushed and “told” rather than shown. All in all, though, definitely one of my favorite stories of Hawthorne’s.