Favorite Short Stories

[ahiddentableau]

Not surprised to see Faulkner mentioned. The man was an absolute master of the short story, yet most people only talk about his novels.

But I'm a bit surprised not to see anybody bring up the Russians. My favourite short story is the OG classic, "Gooseberries" by Anton Chekov, which is probably the most evocative piece of writing I've ever come across. I also love Nikolai Gogol's short stories. "The Overcoat" and "The Nose" are both very famous and they are both sensational reads. "The Nose" is a delight. Very funny, and especially great when you consider when it was written. Way ahead of its time.

 

[Fiesta Red]

One of my all time favorites...

A Rose for Emily

Me too.
Faulkner is best in small doses.

 

[smoothrecluse]

Neil Gaiman has some great ones - I love “The Truth is a Cave in the Black Mountains” from his collection Trigger Warnings.

A newer Stephen King short story that really grabbed me is “The Dune” from Bazaar of Bad Dreams.

Ronald Dahl’s “The Man From the South” is pretty good, and miles away from his children’s books.

 

[Killing Floor]

I ate some delicious grapes after dinner.

fin

 

[telleutelleme]

William Saroyan - My Lousy Adventures With Money.

 

[jman72]

If you count "novellas," I don't think there's a better collection of shorter-than-book stories than the four from King's Different Seasons. Couple of notable film adaptations from it (Shawshank, Stand by Me), and though the movie was not so widely loved, there's a pretty solid Anthrax track inspired by Apt Pupil.

Different Seasons - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

My absolute favorite as well. Read it back when it first came out and I was hooked on Steven King. These stories are incredible and so NOT the horror that everyone thinks of when they think of SK. He is the absolute master of the short story.

 

[cat dude]

The Tell Tale Heart. Edgar Allen Poe.

 

[brupop]

Here's a Trifecta from Joseph Conrad:
Chance
The Secret Sharer
Youth

He has many more short stories (and novels) worthy of a read.

 

[ChicknPickn]

"The Lottery," Shirley Jackson.

 

[Colo Springs E]

The Open Window.....

"Romance at short notice was her specialty”

 

[Fiesta Red]

More favorites are “The Catbird Seat” by James Thurber and “I Love Girl” by Simon Rich.

Absurd humor in both…

I Love Girl

I am Oog. I love Girl. Girl loves Boog. It is bad situation.

www.newyorker.com

 

[Vibroluxer]

Wow! Some grate stories listed and since they are mostly short, maybe they will become the next version of the Bathroom Reader. I tried reading a few on my phone but that an idiot endeavor! Time break 9ut the laptop, man, it's dusty.

Thanks to everyone from everyone.

 

[Vibroluxer]

More favorites are “The Catbird Seat” by James Thurber and “I Love Girl” by Simon Rich.

Absurd humor in both…

I Love Girl

I am Oog. I love Girl. Girl loves Boog. It is bad situation.

www.newyorker.com

Oh Man did that opening line bust me up!! That was very funny, how could I not read that now?!?

 

[BrazHog]

The Open Window.....

"Romance at short notice was her specialty”

Can confirm. Most of Saki's output, really. Did you see the short film based on the story? It's on YouTube.

And to remain in the Edwardian spacetime continuum, I give you: The Bishop's Handkerchief. [Link, it's the first story in the collection.]

In which William's consumerism (GAS'ing for a silk handkerchief, of all things) sends him into an infiltration mission deep into enemy territory -- the vicarage itself!

As good an introduction to the Williamverse as any. If you like P. G. Wodehouse, you may want to give this one a try. It's illustrated, even!

I used to read the William books as a kid, and just found a couple new-to-me books at Project Gutenberg. You know how it is, that you read something when you are a kid, and when you revisit it later, it doesn't have the same kick? Not in this case! In this story Richmal Crompton takes William up to eleven, this one is more rad and x-treme than any of the stories that I remember reading when I was little. Recommended.

 

[Fiesta Red]

The Long Walk by Richard Bachman.

I still don’t know why that has not been made into a major motion picture (or maybe it has and I don’t know about it).

 

[Colo Springs E]

I have always liked short stories. Nowadays, when we get so much information (mis- and otherwise haha) in soundbites, it surprises me that they are not more popular given the short attention span of most of us.

 

[Festofish]

There’s a ton of good stuff over at Literotica.

 

[Weazel]

Baby shoes for sale.
Never used.

I do not know the origin of this but it is short, and it is powerful.

 

[985plowboy]

Anything by Patrick F. McManus.
He wrote the humor column for Field and Stream and later, Outdoor Life magazines.

 

[985plowboy]

Baby shoes for sale.
Never used.

I do not know the origin of this but it is short, and it is powerful.

Let’s be positive.
The shoes were a gift, they were too small, the store wouldn’t take a return without a receipt.