I’ve loved short stories since I was a young girl when introduced to Edgar Allen Poe and Guy De Maupassant. An ancient form, of course, from cave drawings to fireside storytelling. There’s something so special about a tale told in few words, and once I had to balance school and work, children and personal relationships, stories became all the more cherished when reading time was so pressed.
Reading a story first thing in the morning is a great way to start the day without the oppression of the daily news, or, late in the day, to soothe the soul from the damages of the day. In what seems a matter of moments, short takes inspire, delight, stress the bounds of reality or reign us back in.
For writers, the short story may be the most difficult form. A small set of characters in a discrete setting must engage the reader and resolve, to some extent, in few words. Point of view is all the more imperative, because we enter a story in its midst - what’s come before, or what might be, is often between the lines or speculative. Storytellers do not have the luxury of extravagant descriptive prose or intricate dialogue. We cannot easily fast forward or flash back too far without losing the center, where the story resides. And yet, thousands, maybe millions of stories have been written, and so many, so well.
Alice Munro, defying the form, crafted brilliant mini novels, as does her successor, Lorrie Moore. George Saunders creates abstract gems in the spirit of another master, Chekhov. Lately I’ve been re-reading Raymond Carver, whose stories are like an Edward Hopper painting and don’t so much come to an end, rather stop, leaving the rest to our imaginations. Many collections center on a theme, or character, but there’s magic in the mix within anthologies - if you haven’t read the classic stories, start there. Also discover newer gems within the annual Best of… collections. Not to mention the many sites on line, as fewer magazines, sadly, publish stories. [The New Yorker and the Atlantic the prime proponents of the form.]
As the summer winds down, as the busyness of the fall sets in and the days grow shorter, I’d like to suggest a few lesser-known collections to start or end your day. Keep them by your bedside, like an extra blanket. Enjoy.
HONEYDEW By Edith Pearlman
These 20 beautifully written stories delve into the moments that matter most in everyday life, as if a mosaic. Pearlman’s characters – men, women and children - are as ordinary as extraordinary, and all mirror our own realities. Across the globe and across time, her tales speak truth, and wisdom. I love reading them again and again, especially when I need a touch of literary magic. I also recommend her other terrific collection, BINOCULAR VISION.
MUSIC FOR WARTIME By Rebecca Makkai
This National Book Award-winner is known for novels, but this story collection is one of my favorites. Every character seems familiar and every story rings true. She is a master of description and dialogue, and the situations are as humorous as dark. Music underscores each story, from a violinist to a composer to a wannabe, and a contemporary character named Bach, in settings from Berlin to an unnamed country. In the end, each tale has to do with relationships, as great fiction does, and the soundtracks that define them.
HITTING A STRAIGHT LICK WITH A CROOKED STICK
STORIES FROM THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE By Zora Neale Hurston
Everyone recognizes ZNH’s iconic novel, THEIR EYES WERE WATCHING GOD, but Hurston is a master of the story. Like Van Gogh, she devoted her work to the revelation of the human struggle. Profound and pleasing to read, with characters and settings that might be unfamiliar and definitely fascinating, you will smell the flowers, hear the bees buzzing, and occasionally laugh out loud. Although your experiences may differ, you will be reminded of what bonds us more than what divides us. No better time for that.
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A SMILING WOMAN By Margaret Drabble
The one and only collection by this great novelist [the sister of A.S. Byatt] this is one of my most favorite. These short tales explore relationships not only in marriage and friendship, but our relationships with personal identity, politics, and the culture which defines us. Images pop from the page and characters stay with us as if we’ve actually encountered them. Between the lines, there is a lot of philosophical musing, which I love. Insightful and existential, Think of these as a workout for the brain.
IF I LOVED YOU, I WOULD TELL YOU THIS By Robin Black
These stories are so rich, and intricate, they could have been novels, which makes them all the more impressive. Nonetheless, Black never leaves you hanging. The writing has been called pitch perfect and I agree. She deftly explores the emotional DNA passed from generations before and what that means for our own lives going forward. You get a great tale well told, and a lot to think about at the same time.
[And, in shameless self-promotion, check out my own collection from 2020: RATIONAL WOMEN.]
All in paperback, used as well, hopefully at your library and/or for e-readers. Cheers.
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