If you are like me, you have a shelf full of books waiting for you to read them. If you aren't like me, or you are but you still feel like you want a suggestion, let me suggest a collection of short stories. I recently read The Oxford Book of American Short Stories edited by Joyce Carol Oates. The great thing about a collection of short stories by multiple authors is that for about $15 you can preview a lot of different authors. You might discover that you love Eudora Welty or that you hate her, but I can almost guarantee there will be at least a few authors that you like and haven't read yet. And if you know what kind of writing you enjoy, you can narrow it down by genre, time period, geographical setting, etc. Another great thing about short stories in general and collections by multiple authors specifically is that nothing is too long to get bogged down in. You might not enjoy Faulkner's novels, but his short stories are much easier to get through, so you can educate yourself on his style. Side note: after reading a few of Faulkner's short stories, I found it much easier to read his novels because I understood his writing style and approach more.
There is so much to read in the world, and short stories can be a great way to read many different authors and genres. Are there any short story collections or writers that are a must read for you? Share them in the comments.
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