SHORT STORIES that CBR recommends?

[batnbreakfast]

The collection How to be Alone by Jonathan Franzen. Especially the story about Chicago's postal service.

Always T.C. Boyle, Lovecraft and R.E. Howard

[kjn]

Though both Howard and Lovecraft are extremely dated. That doesn't make them bad, but they require a certain mindset to approach. Both in reading style (though the two are extremely different) and in being able to handle stunning degrees of prejudice about gender and race.

If one is used to the movie and comics version of Conan, you're probably in for a rude awakening too, because Howard's Conan is very much different.

[Enigma]

I love short stories. I think my two favourite collections, one modern and one classic, are The Starlings & Other Stories (Ann Cleeves edits) and A.P. Short Novels and Stories.

[seismic-2]

Since you mentioned Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery", you should also check out her "One Ordinary Day, with Peanuts" and Harlan Ellison's similar short story "The Man Who Rowed Christopher Columbus Ashore" (which in fact references it).

Incidentally, many literary critics agree that the two best American short-story writers were Flannery O'Connor and Eudora Welty (both of them women who lived rather secluded lives and who wrote about their native South). You might want to look at the former's Complete Stories (she wrote only 32 short stories, since she died at age 39) or one of the collections of the latter's, such as 1980's The Collected Stories of Eudora Welty.

[batnbreakfast]

Though both Howard and Lovecraft are extremely dated. That doesn't make them bad, but they require a certain mindset to approach. Both in reading style (though the two are extremely different) and in being able to handle stunning degrees of prejudice about gender and race.

If one is used to the movie and comics version of Conan, you're probably in for a rude awakening too, because Howard's Conan is very much different.

Yeah, both writers are to be handled with care (Frost Giant's Daughter, Rats in the Walls) but when it comes to entertainment even Buffy can be dangerous. I shamelessly enjoy Tower of the Elephant and the King Conan tales, The Haunter of the Dark, Winged Death and Charles Dexter Ward.

[OopsIdiditagain]

Welcome to the Monkey House - Kurt Vonnegut

[Albert1981]

The collection How to be Alone by Jonathan Franzen. Especially the story about Chicago's postal service.

Always T.C. Boyle, Lovecraft and R.E. Howard

Wow. Thank you for the recommendations!

[Albert1981]

Though both Howard and Lovecraft are extremely dated. That doesn't make them bad, but they require a certain mindset to approach. Both in reading style (though the two are extremely different) and in being able to handle stunning degrees of prejudice about gender and race.

If one is used to the movie and comics version of Conan, you're probably in for a rude awakening too, because Howard's Conan is very much different.

I've heard that Howard and Lovecraft were very important to the fantasy genre. Since I have become more interested in Marvel magic, I should take a look at their works!

[Albert1981]

I love short stories. I think my two favourite collections, one modern and one classic, are The Starlings & Other Stories (Ann Cleeves edits) and A.P. Short Novels and Stories.

Yeah. I used to hate them because the writers didn't have enough "stamina" to write novels. But now I really admire them for telling stories in a really concise manner. Thanks for the recommendations!

[Albert1981]

Since you mentioned Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery", you should also check out her "One Ordinary Day, with Peanuts" and Harlan Ellison's similar short story "The Man Who Rowed Christopher Columbus Ashore" (which in fact references it).

Incidentally, many literary critics agree that the two best American short-story writers were Flannery O'Connor and Eudora Welty (both of them women who lived rather secluded lives and who wrote about their native South). You might want to look at the former's Complete Stories (she wrote only 32 short stories, since she died at age 39) or one of the collections of the latter's, such as 1980's The Collected Stories of Eudora Welty.

Yeah. The Lottery was such a shocking story. Very sick, but interesting. Thanks for the Ellison recommendation. I've read the Optimist's Daughter by Welty. But that was a short novel, not a short story. I enjoyed it. And I watched a GREAT PBS documentary about O'Connor earlier this month. Interesting person. I will have to take a look at her work too.

[Albert1981]

Welcome to the Monkey House - Kurt Vonnegut

Really enjoyed Slaughter-house Five when I read it. Didn't know Kurt wrote short stories. Gotta check your recommendation out. Thanks!

[kjn]

I've heard that Howard and Lovecraft were very important to the fantasy genre. Since I have become more interested in Marvel magic, I should take a look at their works!

Yes, together with Lord Dunsany, Howard and Lovecraft were probably the most important fantasy and horror writers of the 1920s and 1930s. But there are plenty of excellent short story-writers within the fantasy genre.

The grandfather of them all is probably Edgar Allen Poe, who primarily influenced the horror genre, but also wrote what we later would dub science fiction and fantasy. From the 1940s forward you get writers like Fritz Leiber and Robert Bloch (who wrote the screenplay for Psycho) moving between fantasy, horror, and science fiction.

Later on you have British writers like Michael Moorcock (who moved in the same circles as Alan Moore) and Tanith Lee (who was a superb novelist and short-story writer).

[Kirby101]

Dangerous Visions edited by Harlan Ellison
The Academy of Science Fiction Hall of Fame, 3 volumes.

[Attila Kiss]

Try
Tales from Jokai.

[Albert1981]

Yes, together with Lord Dunsany, Howard and Lovecraft were probably the most important fantasy and horror writers of the 1920s and 1930s. But there are plenty of excellent short story-writers within the fantasy genre.

The grandfather of them all is probably Edgar Allen Poe, who primarily influenced the horror genre, but also wrote what we later would dub science fiction and fantasy. From the 1940s forward you get writers like Fritz Leiber and Robert Block (who wrote the screenplay for Psycho) moving between fantasy, horror, and science fiction.

Later on you have British writers like Michael Moorcock (who moved in the same circles as Alan Moore) and Tanith Lee (who was a superb novelist and short-story writer).

Thanks so much for the lowdown. I'm much more familiar with science fiction than fantasy, but your comments want me to seek out magical short stories in the very near future. Thanks!