Pick-a-Shelf discussion

Thanks to Nadine for picking our shelf for May. Her choice is Short Story Collections

What from this list strikes your fancy?

I for one, really love short stories. In fact, I have been doing a challenge for the last two years where we read 52 short stories a year. This should really help me fill this years challenge list.

My list is
Don't Look Now: Selected Stories of Daphne Du Maurier by Daphne du Maurier
Tenth of December by George Saunders
The Color Master: Stories by Aimee Bender

I participate in a 52-story per year challenge, too! (the Deal Me In challenge, off Goodreads/in the blog-o-sphere)

There are so many collections I keep meaning to get to. These are the ones I'm looking hardest at for May. I hope to read a couple, at least.

- Who Do You Think You Are? (aka The Beggar Maid) by Alice Munro
- Lizard by Banana Yoshimoto
- Go Down, Moses by William Faulkner
- Tales of Hoffmann by E.T.A. Hoffmann
- Amateurs by Donald Barthelme
- Pastoralia by George Saunders
- Saints and Strangers by Angela Carter
- The Bread We Eat in Dreams or The Melancholy of Mechagirl by Catherynne M. Valente

That is a great list, Candice. How I might have to take a look at a few of those.

I rarely read short stories, but I do have a couple books on my TBR -- so I will try these two:

Fire Watch by Connie Willis
How to Breathe Underwater by Julie Orringer

I read short stories now and then but here are a few on my TBR (not sure they are short stories, per se but they are on the shelf):


The only book of real short stories I have on my TBR is not on the list: Cuentos más que completos (not surprisingly, since it's in Spanish) but it's by one of best short stories writer in Latin America. Maybe I'll read it in honor on the shelf, even it won't count. :)

I have The Illustrated Man on my May ScatterShelves card; a win-win.

I have been trying to get around to A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain. And, it is on this list! I will definitely read it.

D.G. wrote: "I read short stories now and then but here are a few on my TBR (not sure they are short stories, per se but they are on the shelf):
..."

If it is definitely Short Stories, though, I say it counts anyway. I have read books that definitely should have been on the shelf but were not before, and I always count them. I figure the intent is to get you to read that genre or category for the month.

Amy wrote: "I have The Illustrated Man on my May ScatterShelves card; a win-win."

I love those win-wins, Amy

What a great suggestion! I don't read short stories often either but to me that is part of the point... To try something you might not otherwise look for.

As it turns out, Vampires in the Lemon Grove is already on my TBR, and I do have a couple of collections - Poe and Lovecraft - I can turn to here in the house already. But I think this is a good reason to finally get around to some Flannery O'Connor.

Deathbird Stories by Harlan Ellison

Yay, excited about this genre as I have just gotten into it the past year or so.
B.J. NovakOne More Thing: Stories and Other Stories

I plan to read (Children's), (Supernatural), and (Horror) for the month of May. Can't wait to start!

I plan to read one or more of the following:
Leaf Storm and Other Stories by Gabriel Garcí­a Márquez (R.I.P. Gabo)
Total Immersion by Allegra Goodman
Everything's Eventual: 14 Dark Tales by Stephen King
Selected Short Stories by P.G. Wodehouse

A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain
Robert Olen Butler need to catch up to some Pulitzer prize books

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

Just noticed, that this month will be month of Roberts for me

I am thinking that Nocturnes: Five Stories of Music and Nightfall, Mothers and Sons and Love and Longing in Bombay may be interesting reads.

I'm going to read Robert Drewe's 'The Rip' collection; I have to read it for my literature class at school.

My plan is to read The Lottery and Other Stories, love short stories!

Amy wrote: "I have The Illustrated Man on my May ScatterShelves card; a win-win."

Oh, that one's on my May ScatterShelves, too. Yay!

On my shelf, just waiting, are El Aleph, and Leaf Storm and Other Stories. I've read already, but can certainly benefit from re-reading:Labyrinths and Ficciones.

I've already started His Last Bow, but will probably finish in May.

I'd started in the past, but never finished Geektastic, so this seems a good month to do it.

The Vintage Book of Latin American Stories isn't on the shelf, but certainly should be. I've started it before, but will try to finish it this time.

And I've been considering reading The Imperfectionists, Folk of the Fringe, Shelf Life, and Her Smoke Rose Up Forever, so those are additional possibilities

OK so i have yet to read a short story collection worth the effort but i am willing to give it a go. I find them difficult to understand lacking of endings in particular. Can anyone recommend a collection of stories which will convert me.

I have readThe Most Beautiful Book in the World: Eight Novellas

@Marie
Anton Chekov's 'Selected Short Stories' was one that I read for school and had quite a few good stories, and all quite short (by short story standards!) which I prefer. (Sorry for not adding a link - I'm on my iPod).
Good if you like stories with a lot of great description and metaphor. They tend to capture a fairly short space of time but still have a good storyline from what I can remember. Dorecommend/10.

Unlike other lists I have read very few collections. I just picked up Nine Stories from the library and we'll see how it goes.

Marie wrote: "OK so i have yet to read a short story collection worth the effort but i am willing to give it a go. I find them difficult to understand lacking of endings in particular. Can anyone recommend a col..."

Best short story collection I've ever read?



I absolutely loved it. I'm not a huge fan of short stories, but I am less against them now because of this book.

Just throwing that out there.

Adrienne wrote: "Marie wrote: "OK so i have yet to read a short story collection worth the effort but i am willing to give it a go. I find them difficult to understand lacking of endings in particular. Can anyone r..."

thanks, i have downloaded a sample and it is available in a reasonably local library so i might give it a go

I chose two short story collections to read for May! First is The Best of H.P. Lovecraft: Bloodcurdling Tales of Horror and the Macabre and second is Fragile Things: Short Fictions and Wonders. Fragile Things is a re-read for me but I am so in love with Neil Gaiman's work that I couldn't pass up the chance to read this book again, while H.P. Lovecraft has been on my TBR shelf for years and I have yet to pick up anything by him so I thought this would be a good opportunity.

I'm planning to read Tales of Mystery and Imagination by Edgar Allan Poe. Will add more if I get time this month!

I do not read many short stories but this book Dubliners By James Joyce has been on my shelf for several years

Planned short story collections to read this month:
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
20th Century Ghosts
A Touch of Dead
Those 4 should keep me busy for a little bit and 2 of them I can share with my 9 year old son.

Plan on reading Stories and Scripts: an Anthologyby Zack Love next :)

Anyone have any recommendations for more good short stories?

I am going to try to fit in one more this week in honor of our Memorial Day. Redeployment by Phil Klay. I have high hopes for this one.

I finished Nine Stories and while Salinger's imagery is amazing, I really just didn't get the stories (with the exception of Theodore). This collection would have made for a great college literature class, but without some insight I just felt lost. Maybe the theme is people who look put together can be just as messed up as anyone else. Oh well I guess that's the point of the group...to read outside of your comfort zone.