Korean Job Discussion Forums

[dutchy pink]

Ok, not best, but short stories you really like.

Another thread, the ajumma scavenger thread, reminded me of an
Anais Nin short story, "The Rag Picker" but I'm not sure if that is the name. She tells of somebody who finds wholeness in parts, and etc...

So what are some good short stories?

Another thread mentioned a Harlas. Again, reminded me of "Pretty Maggie Money Eyes" a Harlas Ellison(?) story.

Both great stories.

"The most beautiful corpse"
"Three friends" (Alyallen?)
J. Robert Lennon, "Pieces for the left hand"

I don't read much Short Story.

What's good?

[happeningthang]

[faster]

Jorge Luis Borges
Julio Cortazar
Franz Kafka
Michel Tournier
Lu Xun (Liu Hsun or other spelling variations)
Flannery O'Connor

Can't really go wrong with any of the above. Just remarkable consistency.

[eamo]

Oscar Wilde has written some great short stories. The Selfish Giant is a masterpiece.

[jajdude]

There's a good book you can find easily enough in bookstores called "50 Great American Short Stories" I think. Some are really good.

[karma police]

[applesandshanana]

If you can consider David Sedaris' collections short stories, they would be my favorite.

But I've always loved The Lottery as well. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lottery

[faster]

Ah, Chekhov is great.

[Corky]

Hemmingway, and Ray Carver.

[Ya-ta Boy]

Since about 1919 a company has been publishing a collection of about 20 short stories collected from all magazines published in the US (and also Canada since '98?). The writer can be from anywhere, but must write in English and publish in an American or Canadian periodical.

The series is called: "The Best American Short Stories of (Year)". Of course, the O. Henry Prize Stories of (Year) are also very good, but in my opinion, the series is not as uniformly good as Best American.

I have 9 of the 'Best American' series. They are uniformly excellent. It's the best money I've spent on books in a long time.

2. Someone mentioned Roald Dahl. That's a pretty good choice. He's fun, although I think the pay off isn't as good as it should be after all the lead up in quite a few of his stories.

3. Ron Carlson's "A Kind of Flying" very good.

4. Annie Proulx is super. I really enjoyed "Bad Dirt" and "Close Range" (the one with 'Brokeback Mountain' in it).

5. Ha Jin is excellent if you are interested in a Chinese writer. "The Bridegroom" and "Ocean of Words" are both good.

6. But if you want a collection of short stories by one writer, I don't think you can do better than Somerset Maugham's collected short stories.

7. Maybe the best new writer is Jumpha Lahiri. Her "Interpreter of Maladies" won the Pulitzer, and deserved it.

8. If you like American Indian Lit, Adrian Louis' "Wild Indians & Other Creatures" is hilarious. Modern coyote stories.

9. I also liked Sherman Alexie's "The Loneranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven".

[faster]

[flakfizer]

"Harrison Bergeron"

"A Hunger Artist"

"The Lottery"

Those first two are really short. "A Hunger Artist" is my fave.
"Harrison Bergeron" is a bit humorous.
"The Lottery," was mentioned in a Simpsons episode.

[TECO]

The Lottery - Yeah, good story.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.

[PeterDragon]

One of my favorite short stories ever is Riki Tiki Tavi, from the back of Kipling's "The Jungle Book". Vonnegut wrote some good short stories too. In fact, I think Vonnegut's short stories are more consistently good than his novels.

[dutchy pink]

Ya-Ta, I've read Jumpha Lahiri's books, A temporary Affair, is amazing, but I liked The Namesake a little better. It was made into a movie by Mira Niar, Have you seen it? I'm eagerly awaiting her next book.

I've perused the Best American Short Stories over the years, but never actually sat down and read them properly.

I wouldn't mind borrowing a few of your copies, if you can part with them?

I have a few good books here I can swap with you.