For those of whom are lucky enough to know me, and my tastes in readings, I have a great love for short stories. I think they are one of the most underrated genre/type of literature out there! The name is self-explanatory, short stories are short, hence their given name, and why I find them so easy to read, even if the language may be complex. Furthermore, as it is only a short piece, I often find with short stories, you find yourself more engaged and focus on the plot as due to the length, the writer has carefully planned the aspects of the plot to do so… To this, short stories also often give way for us (readers) the opportunity to explore alternative endings as they tend to be ambiguous.
So, with that I’m going to share a few of my favourites, or pieces that I think would be great to read if you are interested into dabbling into a few for a quick read. Summaries are included if I decide that I want to ramble on about a certain short, but we shall see…
The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
I think this is one of the older short stories that I have listed here, but I recently read this earlier this year as it was published in the Little Black Penguin Classics for 80p! It’s not a very long read at all, but encapsulates what life was like for women back during the 19th Century. A cult classic for feminist texts, and isn’t very long either, so highly recommending this short.
Popular Mechanics (Little Things) by Raymond Carver
I was introduced to this short last year, or maybe two years ago by my English teacher and it has still stuck with me to this day. A short story that is no longer than an A4 side, but it packs all the emotions within the plot and leaves you hanging with questions which you shall never get answers to. I shall always remember this story, and it tends to be the first one I think of when I am recommending shorts.
The End
I came across this story not too long ago via Twitter, and wasn’t sure what to expect from it. A gothic short story, and with many references to Classic Literature, I was totally a sucker for this one and loved reading it. Saying that, if you search key terms via social media or Google even, I’m sure you’ll come across some great random shorts which are available for free!
In Another Country by Ernest Hemingway
Hemingway is famous for his war themed works, and In Another Country follows suit with the theme. Recently recommended, and read through the lovely recommendation of
Anna (@AnnaBibliophile) – I fell in love with the story. I finished it quickly, but felt all the emotions, quite literally, and was on the brink of crying over the ending. HemingBAE: I love you.
This Is How You Lose Her by Junot Díaz
I was unsure whether to include this, but I am. This is collection of short stories which are all related to each other, and it is absolutely beautifully heartbreaking. Gosh, I love this book. There’s something about Diaz’s writing that gets to me, he mixes his traditional colloquialism alongside English and the sense of simple normality in his writing is perfect, and makes me feel that slight more empathetic. This collection is sad, but is definitely worth a read if you’re ready for it.
So, there you go, a handful of recommendations of short stories but not all of them. If you ever want any others, just tweet me (@always_rambling), and ask! I hope you enjoyed this post which condenses a fraction of my love for the world of Short Stories.
Keep on reading,
Nichola 🙂
Always Rambling & Reading 