Why Not Try A Short Story?

Let's face it – it's hard to read fiction in this day and age. We live in an era of distraction. Whether it's responsibilities or electronics, there's a lot of stuff out there to keep us away from a good tale. That's too bad. Fortunately, a little something called the short story serves as a perfect remedy to this contemporary problem.

Short stories can be found anywhere, even (perhaps especially) on the Internet. Such works are obviously shorter than novels, yet they can pack quite a punch. Writers from Edith Wharton to Stephen King have banged them out. What's more, the good ones are good...real good. As in better than most novels. In fact, some of my favorite books are short story collections.

Here's a few you might want to check out:

• Cathedral by Raymond Carver – Carver is something of a wonder in that he writes literary stories that are actually accessible. They're definitely art, but they feel like general fiction – the kind you can just pass the time with.

• The Angel on The Roof, The Stories Of Russell Banks by Russel Banks – As far as I'm concerned, Banks is one of America's best living writers. The scope of his writing is vast; his insight into the human condition, keen. This collection is obscure, but well worth a look. 

• Nine Stories by J.D. Salinger - Think the author of The Catcher In The Rye was a one hit wonder? Think again.

• Oblivion by David Foster Wallace – Wallace's writing may be difficult, but it's also brilliant. Besides, what's wrong with expanding your horizons by delving into some genuine post-modern heavy reading? Some of the most rewarding things in life require work, after all.

• In Our Time by Ernest Hemingway – I cannot tell a lie. It's my firm belief that this is the single greatest collection of short stories ever. Never mind the Hemingway image. The writing here is so strange and good it actually gives you pause. There's an eeriness to these stories and vignettes. They have a way of sending a chill up your spine...and you're never even quite sure why.

Some great stories you can find either online or in separate collections are:

• Babylon Revisited by F. Scott Fitzgerald

• The Minister's Black Veil by Nathaniel Hawthorne

• Bartleby The Scrivener by Herman Melville

• Afterward by Edith Wharton

Needless to say, the above are not Best Of lists. Reading is a matter of taste and there are countless other short stories and short story collections out there. There's even websites dedicated to new short fiction. Take a look at some of the authors on the sites listed below. You may even find some short fiction penned by your truly.

No matter what you choose, enjoy.

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