No matter how much I wanted to write, this past month hasn’t allowed me to, be it due to my physical or mental health. But I figured enough was enough and thought of coming on here to share with you some of my favorite short story collections of all time. There are so many to choose from but I decided on these ten after a long decision process. I believe that these are the best that I have read so far and I cannot wait to find more of these gems as I progress in my reading life.
I’ve also done a video about this on my YouTube channel. If you’d like to go check it out, here’s the link: 10 Must-Read Short Story Collections – YouTube.
I think that short stories and poems are the more difficult formats to write in because of how much you have to pack into just a few pages. It has to have an introduction to the plot and the characters, a middle, which furthers plot and character development, and the ending or the climax, which brings the story to an end. Even if it doesn’t use the 3-act structure, it has just a short time to make its point. And since there’s so much to be done in this small period of time, it takes more creativity and effort to lay it all out satisfactorily. You’ve got to make it compact but you’ve also got to make it artistic enough that it touches the reader’s heart.
Short story writers and poets, in my opinion, are able to play around with so many topics, even if the theme were to be common. And given that they are short and you can choose to move away from the book after finishing it while not feeling like you’re not reading as much as you’d like to, they’re a great way to help you if you’re in a reading slump. At least, they’ve helped me so far. And I do know that these are some of the best I’ve ever read and it’s a shame that I haven’t spoken about these books more on here. That changes today!
So without any further ado, let’s dive right into this post and let me share with you the short story collections that caught my eye, which I’d like to wholeheartedly recommend to you and which I hope will help you as well.
1. The Doll: Short Stories by Daphne du Maurier
The only one of Daphne du Maurier’s work that I’ve read before is Rebecca and I thought it was creepily Gothic and absolutely brilliant in so many ways. So when I went into this one of her short story collections, I didn’t know what to expect. What I found, however, were some of the most mind-bending short stories ever, in so many ways and they elevated Daphne du Maurier into my favorite authors list almost instantly. All of these stories send a chill down your spine, some in the creepy horror kind of manner, some in the ‘oh, that’s so true but I’ve had enough’ way, and some others in the ‘I don’t relate but I can feel the chills’ way.
It’s eerie how du Maurier takes everyday experiences and takes them to the level where it feels like we’re taking a class from a psychology professor. Because, you know, fiction can be a great teacher and du Maurier is a master of that great teaching skill.
Highly recommend if you don’t mind getting uncomfortable, both physically and emotionally.
2. The Loneliness of Hira Barua by Arupa Patangia Kalita
This is a collection of short stories set in Assam about the lives of Assamese women domestically as well as in the larger picture of society, and is a fantastic glimpse into lives that keep getting sidetracked and overlooked. Poetry in writing can come in different ways, of which the roundabout way is the most frustrating for a reader. But when it ends up being impactful, I think that it becomes a minor issue. One that can be ignored. So it is with The Loneliness of Hira Barua, which is, in the end, a stark, moving, honest collection that is a reflection of reality.
This is one that I’ll definitely recommend if you’re looking for translations/short story collections/books by an Indian author.
3. Manto: Selected Short Stories by Saadat Hasan Manto, tr. By Aatish Taseer
I read this book in 2021 and I was absolutely heartbroken by the time I finished the first story. This was when I realized why Saadat Hasan Manto is considered one of the best short story writers. Plus, Aatish Taseer has done a fantastic job of translating these stories and keeping their soul intact.
Some of the stories in this collection are set during and around the Partition and they contain a world of depth and nuance to them, steering them away from being just another Partition story into the realm of metaphors and unexpected connections.
Manto’s biggest specialty is his ability to see all sides of the story and say, in no uncertain terms, that look! This is what society is. This is how double standards work. This is the truth of human nature. He shows through his stories how humans can become rabid in the blink of an eye, resorting to bloodshed, even, if their beliefs are questioned.
But as he speaks of all this, he also has a compassionate understanding of mental health and the effect that events can have on the human psyche. Stories like Toba Tek Singh and Khol Do broke my heart with what they were talking about and I became an instant Manto fan.
4. Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado
This was Carmen Maria Machado’s debut and I thought it had a nice mix of science fiction fantasy, magical realism, and horror. These short stories have a woman at the center of each of them, each of them more absurd or thought provoking than the next, or better even, both. The author talks about these different women and their lives with a supernatural twist, be it exploring a woman’s sexuality in a dystopian world, or talking about writing about a woman writer who discovers things about herself and about writing in general, and so much more.
It can be a tedious collection to read and exhausting because of the topics it deals with and it will take time for you to get through. A woman’s everyday life is not easy because of the sexism and the misogyny that we live with even in this time and age. And when it comes to queer women’s lives, it becomes even more complicated. But the author here has dealt with all of this fabulously well.
It does meander a little and becomes cryptic at times, but it is well worth it. This is a book that you should go into with all your senses. Give it your all. Invest yourself in it. You need to concentrate if you want to understand what the author is talking about. But do read this collection because it is powerful, impactful, and sometimes horrifyingly realistic!
5. Boats on Land: A Collection of Short Stories by Janice Pariat
This was my first foray into Janice Pariat’s works. Boats on Land is a short story collection set in and around Shillong and delves into the legends, the myths, the realities, and the lives in the city.
It’s beautifully poetic, sometimes angsty, but either way, it will keep you invested in a way that is rather inexplicable. This was apparently her first book and reading the clarity and surety that runs through these stories filled me with awe at her talent and the passionate way in which she writes.
The stories are open-ended and sometimes don’t give you the closure you’re looking for and they can annoy you. But this is actually intentional. The author writes about the people’s lives and how people live their lives doesn’t have to make sense to us for them to be valuable.
As you read these stories, you’ll feel like your mind is a boat on land, rocking from side to side, with no purchase whatsoever. But that is what makes these stories so amazing. They make you think long after you’ve turned the last page.
6. Circus Folk and Village Freaks by Aparna Upadhyaya Sanyal
Circus Folk and Village Freaks is the first of Aparna Sanyal’s short story collections. These stories are written in couplets and accompanied with illustrations, and each of these 18 beautifully crafted short stories has a lesson to teach you. Each of these stories is intertwined with a central thread and tells us about one person who is considered a ‘village freak’ and how their life turned out. Some end up finding acceptance by working in the circus – a place where social ‘freaks’ are welcomed, and some end up living a different lifestyle, each appropriate for what they want to do.
Every story packs a punch that you won’t see coming and has its own morality lessons wrapped up in a beautiful writing style, and that is exactly this collection’s USP. These are stories of reality translated into fiction, exposing the hypocrisy and invasive nature of society while holding on to the hope of what could be. There’s a lot of emotions and traits explored, including selfishness, love, companionship, obscurity, joy, debilitating sorrow, self-love and so much more.
Some are uplifting, some are grim, some are heartbreaking – but the one common thread among all of these stories is the fact that they will melt your heart either way.
7. Twelve Red Herrings by Jeffrey Archer
Jeffrey Archer is a master storyteller in so many formats, and his short story collections are yet another testament to that. The one I’m recommending here is Twelve Red Herrings, and each of these short stories are a descriptor of the title. They each have a red herring, an unexpected plot twist, based off a detail that’s been hiding in plain sight. And this is another thing that Jeffrey Archer is a master of – unexpected plot twists. I’ve read so many of Archer’s books and his short stories always, always leave a smile on my face, because those ends were not what I saw coming.
These stories are intriguing, captivating, will keep you invested, and are quick read as well. So if you are looking to start with Jeffrey Archer’s works, I would recommend reading his short story collections, specifically Twelve Red Herrings. It is fabulous and it will bring you a literary adrenaline rush that you’ll absolutely fall in love with.
8. Your Utopia by Bora Chung, tr by Anton Hur
I’d heard of Bora Chung before, amazing things too, especially about Cursed Bunny. So when I got the chance to read this, I grabbed it with both hands. Your Utopia is a short story collection ranging from science fiction to horror to a combination of both, from one about a center for immortality research to an AI wife to so much more. There is feeling in them, but like I always mention, AI taking a human’s place sort of icks me out in so many ways. But there is a lot of history and supernatural to it and I enjoyed the book while I was going 😳
It is a great short story collection – intriguing, engaging and, gripping, even though there are a couple towards the end that I didn’t feel were great. But the author rounded it off with a bang and I really had a lot of fun reading these stories, so I’m going to recommend them to you, especially if you like science fiction.
9. We Are the Quarry, Fate is the Hunter by Prasad & Shubhada Godbole
Next is a nonfiction collection, one that you’ve seen me talk about and love, and that is We Are the Quarry, Fate is the Hunter. I’ve done a video review for this book. If you’d like to go check it out, link here: We Are the Quarry, Fate is the Hunter on YouTube.
This is a collection of 25 anecdotes from Prasad and Shubhada Godbole, an ex-sailor couple who have travelled the world and who, in this book, have captured many of their varied experiences, be it the scary experiences at sea, exciting and wacky ones, and ones that brought tears to my eyes because of how heartfelt they were. This is a homely, warm book from a warm, friendly couple and is a peek into their life. Their jobs, their life together, their daughter – there’s so much love that shines through this book.
It’s obvious that Prasad and Shubhada LOVE whatever they did and do in the way they talk about it. And couple all of this with the words of wisdom and the witty excerpts throughout the book and you have a collection that you will want to read over and over again. I’m now a huge fan!
10. Roman Stories by Jhumpa Lahiri
Okay, to be honest, this isn’t my favorite Jhumpa Lahiri book – I haven’t even read her other short story collections yet – and not all stories in here worked for me. But I’m adding it to this list because I want to recommend to you the ones that did. I obviously won’t mention which they are, but I hope that you’ll find some that love too.
Jhumpa Lahiri, in this book, centers people in Rome who feel that pang of unbelonging because other people just won’t let it go. She writes of feelings that could be universal or specific, depending on how you see it. She’s stark and vague in her writing, all wrapped up in the most beautiful of words, using metaphors anyone other than Lahiri would never think to use.
That said, there is something missing in them, a quick, noticeable stumble of sorts. But like I mentioned before, it starts off wonderfully, flags in the middle, before picking up again in the last couple of stories.
I wouldn’t recommend this to be your first Jhumpa Lahiri, but I would definitely recommend you read it once you’ve read a few of her previous notable works.
So those were my favorite short story collections of all time. Have you read any of these? If yes, which ones do we have in common? If not, will you be picking any of these up on my recommendation? Let me know in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you!
Another quick reminder: I’ve also done a video about this on my YouTube channel. If you’d like to go check it out, here’s the link: 10 Must-Read Short Story Collections – YouTube.
I’ll see you in the next blog post.
Until next time, keep reading, keep watching, and add melodrama to your life!
The Melodramatic Bookworm 