What We Are Reading - Short Stories

Have started this after a discussion on torontoc's thread. I used to think I didn't like short stories, but I read an awful lot of them last year.

Currently reading Kate Atkinson - Not the End of the World. Not rubbish, but I wouldn't really recommend it. I'm hoping that any moment, there'll be something truly extraordinary that makes up for it, so I haven't given up yet.

I've been reading Rite by Tad Williams (fantasy/science fiction). I'm only about a third of the way through but so far the stories seem pretty good. One story is actually written as posts on a web site such as LT and how the internet kind of becomes sentient and starts posting in a thread (kind of scary, I hope that doesn't happen here!). What I like best is that the author introduces each short story with a prologue that provides background information about how he came up with the story and each story is accompanied with an illustration.

I'm working through 2 collections of short stories at the moment. First, William Faulkner's Collected Stories, many of which I have read before, and so many of which he re-worked into his novels. Second, a collection by an author I don't know at all Tenney's Landing, by Catherine Tudish. All the stories in this book are set in or around a small Pennsylvania river town of the same name. Having grown up in a small Pennsylvania river town myself, I was drawn to this book when I came across it in our local second-hand bookshop. I'm reading them during my lunch breaks at work, so not making swift progress (some days there is no break).

I'm just getting into A View from Castle Rock and liking it very much. I'm avoided short stories till now for no good reason!

After making a lot of progress cataloging my books, I realized I must really like short stories! Actually, since joining LT, I was surprised to find that some people don't like short stories. I don't understand that, but that's OK.

I have a whole category in my 999 Challenge for anthologies and omnibuses (the plural according to Wikipedia?). Have read one so far, and it was a mix - Hitler Victorious, alternate history stories about what if Hitler won. I think that putting together an anthology around a theme like this resulted in the erratic quality. Still I enjoyed ~half the stories.

Currently reading William Trevor - A Bit on the Side, one of those books that sneaked under the library scanner as I was trying to herd the kids out... mixed feelings so far. The first story was excellent, the next couple OK but not that special, the last one I read before I put it down last night annoying. Am going to persevere though - not least because now I have my November ER book to read!

Currently reading The Trusting and the Maimed by Plunkett, which is on the 1001 Must Read, but is a collection of very Irish short stories. It's fabulous.

Edited to correct the title for the touchstones.

Last night while making dinner I listened to a nice steampunk short story called Cold Duty by J. Daniel Sawyer - http://steampod.org/2008/12/steampod-episode-9-cold-duty/

Some recommendations - Katherine Mansfield wrote stories set in New Zealand, which have a strong reality; they read like Chekov . I also like Saki, Alice Munro and Raymond Carver. Currently rediscovering Ray Bradbury, the man is a master!

I have picked up my first book by Alice Munro - Dance of the Happy Shades. So far, so good (three stories into it).

I finished Waiariki by Patricia Grace, a New Zealand author, earlier this week and loved it.

Stasia, hope you like Alice Munro as much as I did! I'm going to read more of her.

#11: If the first three stories I have read are any indication, I think I am going to.

I'm reading One man's Meat a collection of very short stories by E.B. White. I confess I had never read any of his work except the children's classics like charlotte's web and stuart little These were written in the late 1930's and early 1940 describing his move to a small farm in Maine. The Portland Maine newspaper is sponsoring an online book discussion called "Read Around Maine" and each month we pick a book by a Maine Author. This one is fascinating. Except for a few anachronisms like dial phones, and no TV, they have not lost their timeliness. They are exquisite little stories--each can stand alone-- and a great way to end an evening, or pass the time while you wait for the cornbread to come out of the oven.

I am currently swapping between The Dark: New Ghost Stories edited by Ellen Datlow which is okish and White Time by Margo Lanagan (I am a fan so I am thoroughly enjoying this!).

Audio short stories I've enjoyed since January:

Beans and Marbles
In the House of the Seven Librarians - this one left me wishing it was a full length book rather than just short fiction
Honest Man
Hell Is the Absence of God
Dragon Hunt
Summer in Paris, Light From the Sky - excellent alternate history
As Dry Leaves That Before the Wild Hurricane Fly - steampunk-y xmas story
Union Dues: All About the Sponsors - I like very few superhero stories, the Union Dues series is one of them.
Chrysalis
29 Union Leaders Can't Be Wrong

I would recommend Conjure Tales and Stories of the Color Line by Charles Chestnutt . Charles Chestnutt was a pioneer in African-American fiction. Even without the historical importance his stort stories are a joy to read. His stories focus on African American Slaves as tricksters often getting the better of their white masters.

Finished Pale Horse, Pale Rider by Katherine Anne Porter last month, which is either three long stories, or three short novellas, depending on your interpretation. I enjoyed the first two stories more than the title one, but Porter is a fabulous writer.

More audio goodness:

The Hedge Knight
The Hedge Knight: Sword Sword
De La Tierra
Botox School of Acting
Sweet, Savage Sorceress

I'm actually reading three collections of short stories at the moment. They are The Mammoth Book of Modern Ghost Stories, which isn't the best collection I've come across, The Collected Stories of William Faulkner, which I'm loving, and Poirot Investigates, a short story collection by Agatha Christie which I'm also enjoying very much.

Currently reading Birds of America by Lorrie Moore.

I suddenly feel a need to recommend Somerset Maugham's short stories to everyone. Particularly the first volume of his collected short stories. Very observant and witty (and also caustic!)

>21 flissp:, He's also good at ghost stories! He wrote one of the stories in the book I'm reading and so far, being just under halfway through this book (which is literally mammoth in length), his is the only one so far to really keep me up at night. Very creepy...

I will have look into his other works.

ooh his work in general is highly recommended by me!

I love Maugham's writing, too! He has been a favorite of mine for several years now.

Origin Story by Tim Pratt - evolution and demise of a superhero, told by his brother.

I'm in the middle of Krik? Krak by Edwidge Danticat. It is excellent!

Just read To Build a Fire by London with one of my classes, and we're moving on to The Open Boat by Crane next week. Both are very interesting reads, that lead to some very interesting undergraduate papers.

I am currently reading Roads of Destiny by O. Henry, recommnded by Tad earlier this year.

I have started The Ladies of Grace Adieu, due to Richard's glowing recommendation.

#29 Oooh, have fun - I enjoyed it immensely!

I've just read Say you're one of them by Uwem Akpan which was very good though harrowing, and am about to start The Thing around your neck by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

I forgot to add, I recently finished reading An Elegy for Easterly by Petina Gappah - which I received through Early Reviewers - probably my favourite ARC to date and I'd recommend it to everyone.

I am currently reading The Mabinogion, a collection of Welsh short stories.