Small Odysseys: Selected Shorts Presents 35 New Stories

by Hannah Tinti (Editor), Neil Gaiman (Foreword), Rabih Alameddine

“Lovers of the short story, rejoice! There’s something for everyone in this anniversary collection . . . The collection makes the argument that time and again, it is stories that save us.” —Booklist 

Thirty-five literary luminaries come together in this stunning collection of all-new works.

A must-have for any lover of literature, Small Odysseys sweeps the reader into the landscape of the contemporary short story, featuring never-before-published works by many of our most preeminent authors as well as up-and-coming superstars.

On their journey through the book, readers will encounter long-ago movie stars, a town full of dandelions, and math lessons from Siri. They will attend karaoke night, hear a twenty-something slacker’s breathless report of his failed recruiting by the FBI, and travel with a father and son as they channel grief into running a neigh­borhood bakery truck. They will watch the Greek goddess Persephone encounter the end of the world, and witness another apocalypse through a series of advertise­ments for a touchless bidet. And finally, they will meet an aging loner who finds courage and resilience hidden in the most unexpected of places—the next generation.

Published in partnership with beloved literary radio program and live show Selected Shorts in honor of its thirty-fifth anniversary, this collection of thirty-five stories captures its spirit in print for the first time.

FEATURING
Rabih Alameddine * Jenny Allen * Lesley Nneka Arimah * Aimee Bender * Marie-Helene Bertino * Jai Chakrabarti * Patrick Cottrell * Elizabeth Crane * Michael Cunningham * Patrick Dacey * Edwidge Danticat * Dave Eggers * Omar El Akkad * Lauren Groff * Jacob Guajardo * A.M. Homes * Mira Jacob * Jac Jemc * Etgar Keret * Lisa Ko * Victor LaValle * J. Robert Lennon * Ben Loory * Carmen Maria Machado * Juan Martinez * Maile Meloy * Joe Meno * Susan Perabo * Helen Phillips * Namwali Serpell * Rivers Solomon * Elizabeth Strout * Luis Alberto Urrea * Jess Walter * Weike Wang

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Anthologies, Contemporary, Adult Fiction, Literary Fiction

314 pages, Paperback

First published March 15, 2022

About the author

Hannah Tinti grew up in Salem, Massachusetts, and is co-founder and executive edtior of One Story magazine. Her short story collection, ANIMAL CRACKERS, has sold in sixteen countries and was a runner-up for the PEN/Hemingway award. Her first novel, THE GOOD THIEF, was a New York Times Notable Book of the Year, recipient of the American Library Association's Alex Award, and winner of the Center for Fiction's First Novel Prize. Hannah's most recent novel, THE TWELVE LIVES OF SAMUEL HAWLEY was a national bestseller and is in development for television with Netflix.

Reviews

[Debra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoy short stories???? Then this is the book for you! Short stories give readers the opportunity to delve into character's lives for just a little while and yet they are very rewarding. I am hit or miss with short story compilations, and I enjoyed most of the short stories in this book.

This short story collection is written by both well-known author and authors who will be known soon! This was entertaining, entertaining, and engaging.

Thank you to Algonquin Books who gave me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

[♏ Gina☽ · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a lover of short stories covering a very wide and diverse range of subjects, this is definitely for you. I loved the romp through more tales than I can describe here. If you find one that just isn't to your taste, simply go on to the next. Each other has a different style and of course a different story to tell covering many genres of fiction. Great for a beach read, a bedtime short story, or something to take your mind off of current events.

[Ben Loory · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a story called "Dandelions" in this anthology, so I might be a little bit biased? But I also love a lot of the stories in here. My favorites are:

"The King of Bread" by Luis Alberto Urrea
"Unicorn Me" by Elizabeth Crane
"The Hole" by Patrick Cottrell
"Un-Selfie" by Aimee Bender
"Bedtime Story" by Victor LaValle
"Where the Candles Are Kept" by Dave Eggers

and especially

"Books You Read" by Joe Meno (which was really just marvelous, I have to go read all of Joe Meno now)

Also, "A Survey of Recent American Happenings Told Through Six Commercials for the Tennyson ClearJet Premium Touchless Bidet" by Omar El Akkad actually made me laugh out loud, which is pretty impressive... usually I just giggle silently inside my head

[Amy Imogene Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Short stories are little windows into infinite worlds, don't you think? At times heartfelt, at times reminiscent, at times difficult, this selection of contemporary shorts seemed to almost have it all. The world in small doses, each tale a different tone.

Enjoyment: ★★★★
Diversity in topics: ★★★★★
Resonance: ★★★★★

So let's start off with a bit of truth from me to you—I am not a contemporary reader. I am a speculative, horrific, fantastical type of reader. I actively try to escape the bounds of this world with new ones (better ones?) and find little time left for stories of the everyday.

So why did I read this? There's no dragons, no horrors. There are only people and their stories. And they are so very grounded in reality.

Small Odysseys exists because of a different form of storytelling within the same vein—the Selected Shorts program in New York. Pre-pandemic, that program existed to bring to life short stories with the talented voices of trained actors and a live audience through the power of broadcasting. As Neil Gaiman himself states in the foreword, this was truly a delight for anyone interested in stories as it existed in the cross-section of literature, theater, and radio in a way that resonated with lots of people.

So because of that gem in our culture, we now have this short story collection curated Hannah Tinti, the brains behind the original concept.

Small Odysseys was truly a delight. As they're short stories, it's hard to describe them without giving too much of their contents away so I won't do any summarizing here. Some of my favorites included Un-Selfie by Aimee Bender and Bedtime Story by Victor LaValle.

Just dive in, like I did, and enjoy the ride.

Thank you to the publisher for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

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[Larry H · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Small Odysseys is an anthology of 35 short stories from renowned and new-to-me authors.

Are you familiar with the radio program or podcast called “Selected Shorts”? Since 1985, this program has featured stage and screen actors reading short stories—both new and classic—in front of a live audience. I had never heard of the program but I do enjoy short stories, so when Algonquin Books offered me the opportunity to read this anthology, published in conjunction with the show, I jumped at the chance.

There are a number of well-known authors who contributed to this collection as well as some with whom I wasn’t familiar. As with any anthology, some stories hit it out of the park for me while some didn’t work as well.

My favorites included: ”The King of Bread” by Luis Alberto Urrea; ”iPhone SE” by Weike Wang; “Sleepless” by Michael Cunningham; “Escape Pod W41” by J. Robert Lennon; “Period Piece” by Maile Meloy; and “Such Small Islands” by Lauren Groff.

What I like about an anthology like Small Odysseys is the opportunity to pick it up at any point in the book and read any story, and also it’s the chance to be introduced to authors whose work I’ve not read yet. Definitely a thought-provoking collection!

Thanks to Algonquin Books for inviting me on the tour for the book and providing a complimentary advance copy in exchange for an unbiased review!

Check out my list of the best books I read in 2021 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2022/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2021.html.

See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.

Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.

[Lillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful collection of short stories by thirty five of our highly regarded contemporary authors including Edwidge Danticat, Namwali Serpell, Jess Walter, Omar El Akkad, Marie-Helene Bertino and Etgar Keret to name a few and with a forward by Neil Gaiman.

Most of the stories are between three and seven pages, snapshots really, but gloriously written.

Recommended for those who enjoy short story collections.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short stories are not my favorite genre but this anthology from Selected Shorts on PBS was a great compilation by some fantastic authors. I'm making a list of some of my favorite stories from this book so that I can search out other books by these authors. Like any book of short stories, some of them are a hit and some are not as appealing but this book had more hits than misses for me.

I really enjoyed that each author shared their inspiration for their story at the end. It was interesting to see where their idea for the story started. This book of short stories is well worth reading. Most of the stories are excellent and it's a chance to find out about authors that you have never read before and it might even help readers see their own world in a different light.

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.

[Pamela Mclaren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let me tell you how I see short stories.

I have to be in the mood to read short stories and I never spend an entire evening, not even an hour, reading more than one. To me they are like those sour candies — once in a while, a treat, not to be gobbled up by the handful.

But I decided to try a short story book club and this was the book they had selected. I couldn't find it in any of my local libraries and I didn't want to have it on my Kindle. So I ordered it from a used book store in Tennessee. And waited.

Fortunately, the book came quickly. But 35 stories? And the club meets on the 18th ... Could I do it? After all, I had 11 days for 35 stories and I don't usually read short stories one right after the other.

But I was game. The first story was by Luis Alberto Urrea — I've read one of his books and I loved it. Great start. I was hopeful. And no surprise, I enjoyed "The King of Bread."

So I plunged ahead and read the next story "Goodbye to the Road Not Taken" by A.M. Homes. It was good too. Not bad.

Then I hit "The Double Life of the Cockroach's Wife" by Helen Phillips — and found it just plain weird. But some times that's not bad.

And I admit it, I enjoyed the weird, the quirky, the funny and the endearing. I found myself giggling out loud at Omar El Akkad's "A Survey of Recent American Happenings Told Through Six Commercials for the Tennyson ClearJet Premium Touchless Bidet." There were stories that made me feel mellow, to smile at the everyday things that make the story special.

This book has them all. These are clever, imaginative authors who have experimented with their stories and in totality, this book is a winner. I didn't like all the stories — I think that is too much to expect with 35 very different writers, but for the most part, despite my hesitancy, I'm glad that I read them all. This was a good read.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great collection of short stories with a wide variety of themes. The book shares info about each author and the premise behind each story. If you are constantly on the go and find a quick read entertaining, this is a good selection.

[Derek · Rating 4 out of 5]

** I received an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review **

Rounded up from 3.5 stars.
Though I don't frequently gravitate towards short stories, and even less so to anthologies from different authors, I generally enjoyed this collection.

As with any collection there are a few weaker stories that almost seemed like throwaways. Perhaps they come off better read aloud. But most of them were at least 'good' if not 'very good', the standouts IMO being those by Carmen Maria Machado, Jess Walter, J. Robert Lennon, and Dave Eggers.

[Kathryn White · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 2024, one of my reading goals is to read Rivers Solomon's entire body of published work, which includes novels, short stories and essays.

A short piece, "A Brief Note on the Translation of Winter Women, Written by the Collective Dead, Translated by Amal Ruth," was published in Small Odysseys. Selected Shorts Presents 35 New Stories, 2022.

Solomon's clever structure initially baffled me. I wasn't sure which aspect of the writing was theirs - was it the footnoting? Was it a translation? I was delighted, and a bit relieved, to puzzle it through. The author's note said they had a lot of fun with the structure and concept. In the end, this reader did too.

This review and my 5-star rating apply specifically to the Rivers Solomon story within this larger collection.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I had never heard of the radio program and live show, “Selected Shorts,” before it was requested that I review this book. But now I’m incredibly intrigued by its concept. Conceived 35 years ago, the series is all about bringing short stories to life either on the radio or on the stage. This collection of 35 different authors brings some of the magic of the program to the page for the first time.

Short stories are one of my favorite genres so I was excited to read this collection, and then I was completely floored when I saw some of the huge names with stories in this book. Everyone from Elizabeth Strout and Dave Eggers to Lauren Groff and Edwidge Danticat are featured. And then there’s one of my all-time favorite authors, Aimee Bender, which catapulted it into not only a must-read but a must-treasure for me. The stories range in genre and tone but are all immensely readable and thought-provoking. Pretty much all of the entries do what great short stories should do – draw you in and wish they were 100 pages longer. On that note, I thought the length for each of these stories was also nearly perfect – just enough character development to intrigue but allowing the flow of the entire collection to be seamless.

The best part was that each author included a short paragraph about their inspiration for their story. I loved getting to hear what sparked the idea for each piece, especially because so many of the stories were incredibly timely (such as the ones who grew from the COVID-19 lockdown). Getting insight straight from the writer’s brain is invaluable and added an extra layer of depth and understanding to each story.

There were only a handful of stories that didn’t work for me. They tended to verge on too-quirky or gimmicky. But overall, I was completely impressed with what editor Hannah Tinti was able to accomplish with this collection. I can’t wait to dig into the catalogs of these writers now!

*Free ARC provided by Netgalley and Algonquin Books in exchange for an honest review*

[Chrysten Lofton · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.0⭐People who try to learn Spanish don’t know that half of it is silent.”

**Review exclusive to mentioned story, not the entire compendium**

♡ LBR 2022 ♡

We’re on the highly anticipated season 11 of LeVar Burton Reads and getting a taste of bittersweet nostalgia with “The King of Bread” by Luis Alberto Urrea.

If I ever lose enchantment at how much authors can fit in the length of short stories, assume the worst has befallen me.

Urrea masterfully makes us feel estranged and right at home in a few smooth step-changes between paragraphs. Incredible.

Food, community, work, they all have their own languages. Childhood has its own language, and adulthood does too. This story is piecing together ten kinds of communication to a singular reality. This is a story that speaks in all those tongues and succeeds in singing us a song we all know, in words only this author could write.

Thanks for reading and if you wanna chat about the latest LBR episodes, come join us at the LeVar Burton Reads Official Community.

- 📚☕♥

[Jonathan Dunkle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I honestly have no idea how I had never heard of Selected Shorts or Small Odysseys before reading this book. I even had added it to a to-read list without being aware of the connection (I assume I added this because there is an Aimee Bender story in it and since Aimee Bender does not publish hourly, I never get to read enough of her writing). I might be all right with my ignorance except it has been around for 35 years. 35! Really, how did I not know it/they existed until now?

If you're as uninformed as myself, I'll let you find out more about the overall concept on your own. As for the book, it's a delightful collection of very short short stories (one, the author even labels as flash), by an equally delightful group of authors, each of whom tell a little something about why they wrote the story that is included. Thoroughly entertaining. Every story was solid at worst. Not a clunker among them and some really, really good ones. For me, that is saying something because although I enjoy short stories, there were several really brief ones which usually do not resonate as much with me.

I strongly recommend checking it out and also some of the authors who contributed.

[Bveselsky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short stories have always been my favorite genre, plus I am a fan of Selected Shorts, so my reading of this collection was somewhat biased. I liked it for the most part--it was an easy read, definitely started and ended on high notes (some of the stories in the middle, not so much). What I struggled with was the nagging knowledge that each of these stories was written specifically for this collection, and yet there was no obvious thread linking them together or making them work as a unit. Most of the writing felt rushed, and the authors' notes at the end of each story mostly gave that sentiment as well, that this was just some idea they put together on a whim. It felt weirdly like a homework assignment I might give my students, and the range of submissions felt similar to the homework I'd receive--all over the place. The other aspect of the collection I didn't love was the focus on COVID-19 themes--I get that it was made specifically because the theater space for SS wasn't able to be used during the pandemic, but still, I didn't love that common thread.

[Joann Im · Rating 4 out of 5]

A stunning collection of short stories, each that shines with its own colors and deserving merits. In honor of its thirty-fifth anniversary, the partnership with literary radio program and live shows published thirty-five short stories from distinguished authors capturing magical moments of laughter, tears and wonderment. 

What impressed me greatly was how I enjoyed each and every story in this collection. Each story swept me away, remnants of its own signature. As one story ended, the anticipation intensified, needing to satiate my hunger for more to come. Filled with diverse voices and landscapes that transcends across borders, the universality of these stories creates powerful connections and marvelous possibilities. Let's embark on an unforgettable journey... Are you sitting comfortably? Then we'll begin.

Thank you to NetGalley and Algonquin Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

[Devon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Small Odysseys is a collection of 35 short stories written by some amazing authors including Carmen Maria Michael, Elizabeth Strout, Jai Chakrabarti and more! I’m a huge fan of compilations of short stories and this one might be one of my new favs. Bedtime Story by Victor Lavalle was probably my favorite, and it would’ve been a balm to my anxiety if I had read it in the beginning of the pandemic. The authors notes at the end of every story offers additional perspective into the stories and add so much in such a short paragraph.

If you’re into short stories, too, I highly recommend checking this one out. It was just released on the 15th and it won’t let you down!

Thanks @algonquinbooks for the ARC!

[Karen Carlson · Rating 4 out of 5]

At less than $20 for the paperback edition, this is a super bargain for short story and flash lovers. As you can guess – thirty-five stories in a 300-page book – most of them are very short; about half are under seven pages, and only a few are more than ten pages. There’s a wide variety of subgenre and form, from traditional realism to unconventional fantasy. Several deal directly or indirectly with the COVID pandemic and other current events. Many of the stories are funny, but even they tug at the heart, and some tear it open the way only funny can do.
FMI see my blog post at A Just Recompense.

[Tanya R · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the idea of this Short Story anthology by Selected Shorts.

I had no idea that Selected Shorts has been around since the 80's and that so many incredible people have taken part in reading a short story on the podcast. So fun!

Short stories for me are really hit or miss. Because of the lack of time to understand the characters or the subject, the author has to really quickly grab my attention with something relatable or I just never get into it.

I enjoyed many of these stories but don't think I loved any of them. For short story or Selected Shorts fans, this is probably a great read!

[Катерина Майковська]

For now I read just the "King of Bread" short story by Luis Alberto Urrea. I would give it 5 stars! Absolutely brilliant. The story is very simple on the surface, as it starts with the boy telling how in Spanish many things are conveyed with gesture, so the listeners know exactly what wasn't said, in the same manner - it is clear what this story is avoiding to tell directly.

It is about processing the loss.

I loved the details which felt like they are full of sunshine and love - the spider under the car seat who keeps the father a company. The kinds of bread they sell. The gestures and words with which poor women greet the bread seller.

I loved it. Want to read more by the author.

[Alexia Brodeur · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I have always loved Neil Gaiman ever since I was a little girl and read Coraline before it became a Tim Burton movie and knew when I received this book as a Christmas gift that it was guaranteed to be good when I saw his name on the cover.
The stories were interesting and diverse, and offered rare views of the human condition. It felt like stumbling into the lives and minds of strangers and being there for their most vulnerable moments before never seeing them again.
I will definitely be checking out the podcast this book was made for, and reading some books by the authors featured in this book in the future.

[Cindy (leavemetomybooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really unique and wide-ranging collection of short stories that would be a perfect pick for anyone who wants to discover new authors or read some gems from some of their already-favorite writers.

My five favorite stories were:

• Infidelity by Jac Jemc
• Where the Candles are Kept by Dave Eggers
• Such Small Islands by Lauren Groff
• Period Piece by Maile Melody
• Unicorn Me by Elizabeth Crane

* thanks to Algonquin Books for the NetGalley review copy. Small Odysseys published 3/15/22.

[Susan Ballard (subakkabookstuff) · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐎𝐝𝐲𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐲𝐬 is an opportunity to hold in your hand a collection of 35 short stories from incredible writers, the well-known and the rising stars alike. You can start where you want and read one story at a time or all of them!

I loved the diversity in this collection and how each author explained the inspiration or idea behind their story. These stories have something for everyone with a wide array of settings, characters, and subjects.

Thank you to @algonquinbooks and @hannahtinti for a spot on tour and a gifted copy.

[Rachel Nortz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perhaps I'm biased when it comes to this as I got to hear all of these stories read by such a slew of amazing readers for Wall to Wall: Selected Shorts. But when the stories hit, the stories hit.

Personal favorites:
-The King of Bread by Luis Alberto Urrea
-The Prom Terrorists by Rabih Alameddine
-Escape Pod W41 by J. Robert Lennon
-Cane and Roses: A Manifesto by Edwidge Danticat

Enamored with the fact that so many people outside of the Selected Shorts sphere are enjoying this- from all of us at Symphony Space, thank you for keeping new fiction fresh and alive!

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. I always find it fascinating that good short story writers can serve up characters and scenes that are so immediately understood by the reader. The stories in Small Odysseys are no exception. Whether the characters and settings are ones that seem familiar or whether they are unlike anything in the reader's own experience, the writers of these stories sweep up the reader into their created environment with ease. It was interesting to see how the pandemic influenced some of the story lines. A nice set of tales.

[Robert Morgan Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are charming stories for the most part--the stock and trade of Selected Shorts. Some weak ones, a few startlingly good. SS plays it safe, I understand. They bring short stories to a large audience. Refreshing diversity yet some stories feel a tad sanctimonious. Nothing really challenging here. Certainly no grit lit. Worth reading as a snapshot of current short fiction taste among the publishing giants. Stories in three nebulously-named sections--Departures, Journeys and New Worlds (whatever). Loved the Dave Eggers story.

[Warren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recently read a couple of compilations (this book, as well as "There's a Revolution Outside, My Love") as well as Amanda Gorman's poetry book - all three are excellent, and all are part of what I expect will be a huge component of literature for years to come: Books that are situated within the crises of 2020-present and comment upon the world through reflections on this time period. It's all essential and very interesting - just so recent and raw that I think I will read such books in limited doses for now.

[Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection of short stories was written in the midst of COVID, and it is very apparent in almost all of the different stories. A little Time Capsule of a book, if you will.
I really enjoyed a lot of these stories, and it was nice hearing all the different authors and their styles of writing and storytelling.
I had difficulty sitting down and just reading it however, just because the stories WERE so different and so short, I feel like I needed some space in between each one to get their full effects.

[Jeanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy of this book from Goodreads :). I am not a huge short story fan... I usually feel like I need more at the end of a short story... but some of these I did really enjoy. Especially the Eggers. He's one of my favorite authors anyway and his short was one of my favorites from this book. I love the concept too, of these authors reading them outlaid for an audience. THAT I think I would enjoy even more than reading them.

[Franchesca · Rating 4 out of 5]

A diverse array of short stories all by different authors that were entertaining and fun to read out loud. Some of these stories I enjoyed very much while others were just okay, a few of the standouts for me being Dandelions by Ben Loory, Escape Pod W41 by J. Robert Lennon, and A Survey of Recent Happenings Told Through Six Commercials for the Tennyson Clearjet Premium Touchless Bidet by Omar El Akkad, along with a number of others.

I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.