Short Fiction / Short Stories
Short stories are a great way to dig into a new author's work in one sitting or revel in the mastery an author might have in tightly packing a story in this short form.
Broccoli and Other Tales of Food and Love by Laura Vapnyar
These six short stories all feature Russian immigrants who eat together and whose lives are uniformly depressing with occasional moments of joy. The joy is often connected with food.
These six short stories all feature Russian immigrants who eat together and whose lives are uniformly depressing with occasional moments of joy. The joy is often connected with food.
Two of the Deadliest: edited by Elizabeth George
Elizabeth George has brought together 23 authors to use narrative to explore lust and greed, two of the deadliest of the Seven Deadly Sins.
Elizabeth George has brought together 23 authors to use narrative to explore lust and greed, two of the deadliest of the Seven Deadly Sins.
The PEN/ O. Henry Prize Stories 2009
'The PEN/O. Henry Prize Stories 2009' lives up to its literary legacy by bringing together twenty knockout stories that will take readers around the world and into the lives of its fascinating characters.
'The PEN/O. Henry Prize Stories 2009' lives up to its literary legacy by bringing together twenty knockout stories that will take readers around the world and into the lives of its fascinating characters.
Everything Ravaged, Everything Burned by Wells Tower
Wells Tower captures a variety of experience that is as far-ranging as it is close to home. These stories of Viking marauders, teenage girls, and fractured families are violent and tender.
Wells Tower captures a variety of experience that is as far-ranging as it is close to home. These stories of Viking marauders, teenage girls, and fractured families are violent and tender.
The Best American Mystery Stories 2008
George Pelecanos edits this 12 installment of stories that while generally falling into the realm of mystery, refuse to be further categoized.
George Pelecanos edits this 12 installment of stories that while generally falling into the realm of mystery, refuse to be further categoized.
Sherlock Holmes in America
Once again a new edition of Holmes stories has come before us with tales that are a treat to the eye and ear.
Once again a new edition of Holmes stories has come before us with tales that are a treat to the eye and ear.
The Best American Short Stories 2008
All of these stories are well-written and make for enjoyable reading, more than half are somewhat exceptional, and three or four will probably have the kind of profound effect on readers that they hope for, but dare not expect, when picking up a collection like this.
All of these stories are well-written and make for enjoyable reading, more than half are somewhat exceptional, and three or four will probably have the kind of profound effect on readers that they hope for, but dare not expect, when picking up a collection like this.
Demons in the Spring by Joe Meno
Joe Meno's inspired second collection of short fiction is full of sad and broken characters who have a way of getting inside your head and staying there.
Joe Meno's inspired second collection of short fiction is full of sad and broken characters who have a way of getting inside your head and staying there.
The Best American Nonrequired Reading 2008
Featuring fiction, nonfiction, journalism, comics, and humor, The Best American Nonrequired Reading is doubtlessly the most eclectic of Houghton Mifflin's Best American series.
Featuring fiction, nonfiction, journalism, comics, and humor, The Best American Nonrequired Reading is doubtlessly the most eclectic of Houghton Mifflin's Best American series.
Pretty Monsters by Kelly Link
Kelly Link's third collection of short stories, is billed as her first for young adult readers, though it works just fine on adults as well.
Kelly Link's third collection of short stories, is billed as her first for young adult readers, though it works just fine on adults as well.
Wifeshopping by Steven Wingate
In Steven Wingate's thirteen short stories, the relationships-whether real or imagined-face what Amy Hempel describes in her foreword as "The Flaw, the excuse to back out, to tear down the picture of a life together."
In Steven Wingate's thirteen short stories, the relationships-whether real or imagined-face what Amy Hempel describes in her foreword as "The Flaw, the excuse to back out, to tear down the picture of a life together."
The O. Henry Prize Stories 2008
The O. Henry Prize Stories series has an extensively proven track record (89 years) in the selection of terrific short prose, and the pieces in the 2008 volume uphold that reputation.
The O. Henry Prize Stories series has an extensively proven track record (89 years) in the selection of terrific short prose, and the pieces in the 2008 volume uphold that reputation.
Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri
Jhumpa Lahiri's second collection of short stories reveal a clear progression of her literary power from 'Interpreter of Maladies' and 'The Namesake.'
Jhumpa Lahiri's second collection of short stories reveal a clear progression of her literary power from 'Interpreter of Maladies' and 'The Namesake.'
No One Belongs Here More Than You by Miranda July
Miranda July's characters are slightly awkward and dysfunctional. Aren't we all?
Miranda July's characters are slightly awkward and dysfunctional. Aren't we all?
Animals of the Ocean, In Particular the Giant Squid
Advances many heretofore unexplored discoveries and opinions, including squid dating dos and don'ts, and why squid are not at all able to watch television in black and white.
Advances many heretofore unexplored discoveries and opinions, including squid dating dos and don'ts, and why squid are not at all able to watch television in black and white.
Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman
Neil Gaiman's "Fragile Things" contains approximately twenty previously published pieces of short fiction - stories, verse, and an American Gods novella - plus one new piece written especially for this volume.
Neil Gaiman's "Fragile Things" contains approximately twenty previously published pieces of short fiction - stories, verse, and an American Gods novella - plus one new piece written especially for this volume.
The Nimrod Flipout by Etgar Keret
Already a well-known phenomenon in Israel, Etgar Keret blends the ordinary with the surreal to great effect in his often extremely short stories.
Already a well-known phenomenon in Israel, Etgar Keret blends the ordinary with the surreal to great effect in his often extremely short stories.
In Persuasion Nation by George Saunders
Satirically smart Saunders returns to further skewer our out of control consumer society in his latest collection of short stories.
Satirically smart Saunders returns to further skewer our out of control consumer society in his latest collection of short stories.
How We Are Hungry by Dave Eggers
A group of stories Dave Eggers wrote over the past four years including many never-before-published stories, along with a number of pieces that first appeared in magazines, both well known (Zoetrope, The New Yorker) and small and independent (h2s04, Ninth Letter).
A group of stories Dave Eggers wrote over the past four years including many never-before-published stories, along with a number of pieces that first appeared in magazines, both well known (Zoetrope, The New Yorker) and small and independent (h2s04, Ninth Letter).
Men and Cartoons by Jonathan Lethem
Each of Jonathan Lethem's tales highlights his imagination as a story crafter, and his ability to infuse every story with his unique humor and wit is what makes "Men and Cartoons" an immensely pleasurable collection.
Each of Jonathan Lethem's tales highlights his imagination as a story crafter, and his ability to infuse every story with his unique humor and wit is what makes "Men and Cartoons" an immensely pleasurable collection.
The O. Henry Prize Stories 2005
There is nothing like the ever rich, surprising, and original O. Henry collection for celebrating the contemporary short story.
There is nothing like the ever rich, surprising, and original O. Henry collection for celebrating the contemporary short story.
McSweeney's Enchanted Chamber of Astonishing Stories
Michael Chabon and friends are back with a brandnew collection that reinvigorates the stayupallnight, edgeofthe seat, fingernailbiting, pageturning tradition of literary short stories.
Michael Chabon and friends are back with a brandnew collection that reinvigorates the stayupallnight, edgeofthe seat, fingernailbiting, pageturning tradition of literary short stories.
The Paris Review Book for Planes, Trains, Elevators, and Waiting Rooms
The Paris Review Book for Planes, Trains, Elevators, and Waiting Rooms is a uniquely-themed anthology in that it's theme is the reader. This compendium offers reading material to fill those moments of waiting for something to happen. Organized by the time that the reader has available at that moment, the anthology provides a poem for that elevator ride to the lawyer's office; a short story for the thirty-minute commute; a novella for the three-hour plane ride.
The Paris Review Book for Planes, Trains, Elevators, and Waiting Rooms is a uniquely-themed anthology in that it's theme is the reader. This compendium offers reading material to fill those moments of waiting for something to happen. Organized by the time that the reader has available at that moment, the anthology provides a poem for that elevator ride to the lawyer's office; a short story for the thirty-minute commute; a novella for the three-hour plane ride.
Oblivion by David Foster Wallace
In the stories that make up Oblivion, David Foster Wallace joins the rawest, most naked humanity with the infinite involutions of self-consciousness-a combination that is dazzlingly, uniquely his. These are worlds undreamt-of by any other mind.
In the stories that make up Oblivion, David Foster Wallace joins the rawest, most naked humanity with the infinite involutions of self-consciousness-a combination that is dazzlingly, uniquely his. These are worlds undreamt-of by any other mind.
Fishing the Sloe-Black River by Colum McCann
Fishing the Sloe-Black River, the short fiction of Colum McCann documents a dizzying cast of characters in exile, loss, love, and displacement. There is the worn boxing champion who steals clothes from a New Orleans laundromat, the rumored survivor of Hiroshima who emigrates to the tranquil coast of Western Ireland, the Irishwoman who journeys through America in search of silence and solitude.
Fishing the Sloe-Black River, the short fiction of Colum McCann documents a dizzying cast of characters in exile, loss, love, and displacement. There is the worn boxing champion who steals clothes from a New Orleans laundromat, the rumored survivor of Hiroshima who emigrates to the tranquil coast of Western Ireland, the Irishwoman who journeys through America in search of silence and solitude.
Naked: Writers Uncover the Way We Live on Earth, edited by Susan Zakin
Naked brings together thirty-one pieces by writers who examine and challenge the way people live with our environment. Edward Abbey's newly published correspondence rants against passive nonresistance. Stacey Richter mines the questionable legacy of John James Audubon and T. C. Boyle suggests we are all wild at heart, and not particularly well-groomed.
Naked brings together thirty-one pieces by writers who examine and challenge the way people live with our environment. Edward Abbey's newly published correspondence rants against passive nonresistance. Stacey Richter mines the questionable legacy of John James Audubon and T. C. Boyle suggests we are all wild at heart, and not particularly well-groomed.
A Convergence of Birds
Inspired by Cornell's avian-themed boxes, twenty writers have generously contributed original pieces of prose and poetry that are as eclectic as they are imaginative. Accompanied by tipped-on plates, this volume is a soaring tribute.
Inspired by Cornell's avian-themed boxes, twenty writers have generously contributed original pieces of prose and poetry that are as eclectic as they are imaginative. Accompanied by tipped-on plates, this volume is a soaring tribute.