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29/05/2020

The best short story collections

From the gothic horror of Edgar Allan Poe to the literary brilliance of Dima Alzayat, here is our edit of the best short story collections.

29/05/2020

There are so many reasons to love short stories; not least their ability to immerse us in new worlds in the time it takes to commute to work, or the common themes that weave through anthologies to create a thought-provoking whole. Here, we’ve collated our edit of the best short story collections. From spine-chilling tales and funny short stories to literary masterpieces, these are simply not to be missed.

Civilwarland-in-Bad-Decline-George-Saunders

Civilwarland in Bad Decline

Civilwarland is the first collection of short stories from the 2017 Man Booker Prize winner, George Saunders. In these stories, he takes a bleak but comic look at America in the not-so-distant future. Saunders is regarded as a master of the short story, making this collection simply unmissable.

 

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The-Bloody-Chamber-Angela-Carter

The Bloody Chamber

Angela Carter is perhaps the Queen of Magic Realism. In this astounding collection, she takes classic fairy-tales we all know and love - Little Red Riding Hood, Puss in Boots, Beauty and the Beast - and turns them upside down, creating dark, sensual stories that you’ll need to be brave to read at bedtime.

 

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Men-Without-Women-Haruki-Murakami

Men Without Women

In the seven short stories that make up this collection, Haruki Murakami depicts the lives of men who for various reasons have found themselves alone. Fans of his work will recognise his wry humour on every page and for new readers, this collection serves as the perfect introduction to one of today’s most renowned writers.

 

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Kiss-Kiss-Roald-Dahl

Kiss Kiss

Roald Dahl’s stories for children are delightful and fantastical, with just the right pinch of deviousness thrown in. But in this collection of short stories for adults, things get a lot darker. . . Introduce yourself to a new side of one of Britain’s most beloved authors.

 

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