As I have grown in my creative writing experience, I have started to read more short stories and collections of short stories. This reading list showcases the writers, and some of their short story collections, that I really like and that have inspired me.
1. Claiming a Body by Amanda Marbais
This 2019 short story collection from Amanda Marbais is a fantastic book. The stories focus on the lives of everyday Americans and their impact on each other and the world around them. The book also takes on a mindset of being environmentally friendly through themes of climate change, global warming, and fracking.
2. A Clean, Well-Lighted Stream by Michael Cheechio
This book actually is a bit different from the others on this list. It is actually a collection of essays that Michael Cheechio had published from 1992-1995, but the essays are written as short stories despite being nonfiction. It's a prime example of the creative nonfiction genre that fills the reader with a deep sense of peace.
3. Magnificent Mistakes by Eric Bosse
This 2011 short story collection from Eric Bosse holds a deep place in my heart for the inspiration I've garnered from it as well as my interactions with the author himself. The stories in this book focus on the dark sides of everyday life. The book also explores the idea that there is something wrong about the way we live in an ingenious way.
4. Homesick for Another World by Ottessa Moshfegh
This collection of short stories from 2017 is actually Ottessa Moshfegh's debut book. The stories in this book feature characters that try to attempt some form of betterment but have to get over their own personal obstacles. This book explores what it means to be human in a existential and often comedic way.
5. Buckskin Cocaine by Erika T. Wurth
This 2016 book from Erika Wurth is a short but absolutely fantastic piece of literature. The book is a collection of stories that intersect and connect with each other. The book explores themes of humanity through a group of people involved in the Native American film industry and their individual stories.
6. Grand Union by Zadie Smith
This 2019 collection of short stories from the powerhouse writer Zadie Smith is not only the most recently published piece on this list, but also my favorite. This collection explores the meaning of life in the modern world. The often dystopian tones of the stories in this book do well to highlight the themes of time and of identity.
This list of short story collections merely scratches the surface of the genre. It does, however give good insight to the genre and the range within it. Through this list I hope to interest readers in the genre and help them find the same sense of inspiration I found through these books.
