Comments on: Three Great Books Of Short Stories

By: Book Review: The Dark Descent | World's Strongest Librarian

Book Review: The Dark Descent | World's Strongest Librarian — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 06:04:07 +0000

[...] week we talked briefly about the Modern Library’s Tales of Horror And The Supernatural. Some of you had read it and many of you knew some of the stories from it. There is one other [...]

By: Brian Heys

Brian Heys — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:35:25 +0000

I’ve said it before, but I think Stephen King is a master of the short story. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that some of his stories represent his finest work.

When you talk about craftsmanship coming across in short stories, you’re spot-on. You get a real sense of the artisan at work when you read a well-crafted short piece. King’s work exhibits this in huge measures.

As you may know, I write short stories. I can agree with your comment that they can take a long time to ‘perfect’! I once had one that took me six months to finish, and it was only about 5700 words. I didn’t work on it full time of course – I just kept coming back to it, honing and polishing, until I was as happy as I could be.

PS – There’s a short ghost story on my blog called ‘The Brink’ if you want to pull up a chair and light your fire again.

By: Ben (from TIC)

Ben (from TIC) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 23:33:08 +0000

1. Melville
2. Faulkner
3. Cormac McCarthy
4. Flannery O’Connor
5. Joyce Carol Oates

Americans all, in no particular order, except for Melville.

By: Josh Hanagarne

Josh Hanagarne — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:11:31 +0000

Robby, I’m surprised you’d never read CB. He’s right up your alley. LOL. I didn’t even have to use a plugin for the replies. I just changed one little WP setting. Pretending to be smart gets you only so far. People inevitably start filling in the gaps in your knowledge and suddenly you’re just another fraud:)

By: Robby G

Robby G — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 11:41:30 +0000

I’m jealous now because I only discovered him a few weeks ago and I already know that his stuff will influence my future work. He was definitely genius in every sense of the word.
PS: Happy you finally came around to using a Reply plugin lol

By: Josh Hanagarne

Josh Hanagarne — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 02:28:56 +0000

Daisy, I’ll look for it. Have you ever read any Joe Lansdale? Bumper Crop is about the creepiest collection by a single author that I’ve found. Weird Texas gothic.

By: Daisy

Daisy — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 01:22:08 +0000

For spooky, try Surreal South. Short stories, all very powerful. shiver.

By: Josh Hanagarne

Josh Hanagarne — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 17:53:19 +0000

Heather, thanks. Have you read The Dark Descent? It’s the other horror anthology that I love. Between it and the ML one, you wouldn’t need much else for a while.

By: Heather

Heather — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 17:41:06 +0000

Three of my all-time faves! Not one, not two, but you hit ALL FLIPPIN’ THREE! Josh, you so totally rock! Good Man is Hard to Find has got to be my all-time fave short story ever–that, and the one about the girl with the wooden leg who gets tricked up into that barn by the Bible salesman with ill intentions! And that horror collection! Awesomeness bound in faux leather! I’m totally with Gordie up there re: l’aphrodisiac du horreur! Mon Dieux! Glad to know I’m not the only one who gets all hot n’ bothered over the likes of “The Monkey’s Paw,” “The Cask of Amontillado,” and “Yellow Wallpaper.” Great picks, brother, great picks! ::two virtual thumbs-up::