Book Junkies discussion

I am a big novel reader, and I recently decided I wanted to explore the short story genre a little bit. I've read plenty of short stories before, but always as standalone pieces. Right now I'm working my way through A Good Man is Hard to Find and other stories by Flannery O'Connor and Magic for Beginners by Kelly Link. So far I like both collections, but I worry I'm not spending enough time on each story.

What do you do when you read short story collections? Do you read one story and then digest it for a while, or read the whole thing straight through? Am I being a crazy person by worrying about this? Is it too obvious I'm a recovering Lit major?

I read them along with other books. Nice when I only have a short time to read. Currently working on English Country House Murders: Classic Crime Fiction of Britain's Upper Crust

I really enjoy short stories, especially the Sherlock Holmes collections :)

I think how much time I spend on a story depends on how it 'felt' when I was reading it. A lot of times I will read through until one shocks me, then I will put it down and go do something else for a while before continuing. It's almost like the story was so good, I want to linger in that world for a little longer.

Absolutely. Though the market for them has long since dried up, so it seems, supplanted by essay and creative nonfiction, in the literary world, still they are appreciated.

I never devour the whole book in a sitting or two...as much as I sometimes want to! I usually read maybe three or four at a time tops. If one didn't really do it for me, I will go on to the next one. I think with short story collections, there are going to be those few in a collection that really impact you more than the others.
I really enjoy The Watch by Rick Bass and Poachers by Tom Franklin. They are gritty and raw and fascinating.

I like short stories, but also novels and long books. However, short stories can be captivating and nice to read when you don't have much time :)

Short stories leave me wanting more...

While I mainly read novels I also occasionally like to read short stories especially if they're sci-fi, fantasy, or horror.

I like a lot of Poe. Gothic short stories, classics--always good.

I am a huge fan of short stories. I really haven't been let down yet (by a collection as a whole - not meaning an individual short story). I've discovered some brilliant writers by reading their short story collections; often they are BETTER than their novels. I find that with a short story there is more pressure to make every sentence, every word count. I am about to start reading Nightmare at 20 000 Feet by Richard Matheson (you know, to get in that October spirit).

I also just realized that I've already answered this thread. Oh well! :)

I struggle with short stories as well (also a lit major AND lit teacher). I'm so conditioned to dissect short stories that they are oftentimes difficult to read for pleasure.

I recommend reading collections that encompass one broad story or Motif (Like FLB's Psyche in a Dress); ones in which the short stories serve to illuminate different events or perspectives of one collective story. You'll feel like all of the stories are working towards a broader understanding and will be able to enjoy them both singularly and collectively.

I definitely read short stories; usually I have one novel going at the same time as several short stories so that depending on how much time I've got, I can make it work.

Of course I love the old pulp fiction shorts (hence the job) and classic sci fi, as they are a lot cleaner. Not innocent, but definitely not so unimaginatively vulgar.

♥,
Cat at Galaxy Press