Short stories

brianthebard

What short story writers do people really like? Hemmingway, Chekhov and Kafka are obvious faves for me, I'm reading metamorphosis and other stories at the minute, there are so many gems here, so many off kilter stories that you really don't expect.

Tchocky

Raymond Carver, Tim O'Brien.

Agree with you on Chekhov. Edgar Poe wrote some amazing stories, as did Thurber and Lovecraft.

(Chekhov - Uncle Vanya is on in the Gate sometime this summer I think)

Red Hand

Frank O Connor is top of my list. I also like O Henry for the twists and his humour, and also Patrick O Brian (of Master and Commander fame), who wrote a few but very good short stories that have stuck in my head.

ZorbaTehZ

Edgar Allen Poe all the way for me. Some of them dead funny too.

slinky

Flanner O'Connery, I love her stories even though some characters are shown as
grotesques.

Chekov obviously is a master, Turgenev too, Annie Proulx writes some excellent short stories. An Irish writer Kevin Barry has a book "There are little kingdoms" - his short story 'Breakfast Wine' about a couple of alcoholics in a pub I loved (wonder why?:o ): great opening line, kept it going well and brilliant ending.

Colm Toibin had a book out last year, 'Mothers and Sons', and the last story/novella, 'A Long Winter', I really loved.

luckat

Check out Claire Keegan's Walk the Blue Fields, which has recently scooped some awards. Extraordinary stories.

eclectichoney

I didn't like short stories for ages and then discovered lots of great stuff like Chekhov, Raymond Carver, Flannery O'Connor, Richard yates, Richard Ford and others, and now it's one of my favourite genres. I used to read a bookful at a time but now I prefer to dip in and out and read one or two at a time as I find they stay with me better that way, as it sometimes takes a while for them to evolve even after finishing reading them (if that makes any sense!).

_blank_

Stephen King has some excellent short story collections.

Valmont

The only collection of short stories I've read is Roald Dahl's "Skin". My only experience of Dahl prior to this was The Twits etc... so I was surprised with Dahl's ability to write convincing fiction for a mature audience*. There's some real Gems in there.

*ps. I didn't think he couldn't, just thought he never had.

brianthebard

Oh nice one Valmont, nearly forgot about Dahl! Henry sugar, and skin are some of the darkest funniest short stories ever written. I think people do underestimate him because he wrote mainly for children, but in many ways he is nearly the equal of Kafka I'd say.

Tchocky

I actually haven't gotten round to Henry Sugar yet

Alsatian_Cousin

the long valley by Steinbeck is a great read

nervous_twitch

Maupassant makes a good read too; short, simple, but hugely enjoyable.

OldBloke

luckat wrote:

Check out Claire Keegan's Walk the Blue Fields, which has recently scooped some awards. Extraordinary stories.

Try Antartica as well - its her first collection.

John McGahern wrote some excellent short stories.

Alistair MacLeod is another good one