# Recommend me short stories in English



## valerie

I'd like to read good literature in English, but as I do not dare reading an entire novel, I'd like you to recommend me short stories, or short novels. I'm not afraid of classics, if the language allows it.

Thanks


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## abc

Valerie,

I'll have a good list this afternoon for you.  Hope you'll like "them stories".


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## cuchuflete

valerie said:
			
		

> I'd like to read good literature in English, but as I do not dare reading an entire novel, I'd like you to recommend me short stories, or short novels. I'm not afraid of classics, if the language allows it.
> 
> Thanks



Hi Valerie....
For good literature, short and not too difficult to read, and very touching at times.... The short stories of O. Henry.  That's the pseudonym under which he published.  His real name was William Porter.   I believe these have been translated into SP and probably FR also, if you want 'backup'.  Of course you may post questions about difficult phrases in the English Only forum also...but because your English is so good, I don't think you will have any problems.  

For more modern stories, I suggest the stories of John Cheever.

Saludos,
Cuchu


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## belén

I am going through my  Truman Capote period and I highly recommend him. English-wise, I don't find it so difficult. 

Cheers,
Belén


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## valerie

I have read recently 3 short stories by Capote, in an edition aimed at French students, which contains word explanation or translation. With this help I could read them quite easily, but if I had not had the explanations, I think it would have been more difficult, there are a lots of american colloquial phrases or words.

On the litterary side, I agree with you, they are highly recommendable.


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## Sharon

Valerie,

 What kind of books do you like to read?  I am going to *try* to list these in order of easiest to hardest, but that's hard to do for someone else!!   I think you would find any of these on a high school reading list. 


*Ray Bradbury*: Fahrenheit 451, The Martian Chronicles, The Illustrated Man

*Robert A. Heinlein*: Stranger In A Strange Land

*Rudyard Kipling*: Captains Courageous

*George Orwell*: Animal Farm, 1984

*Charles Dickens*: Great Expectations, Oliver Twist, A Tale of Two Cities, David Copperfield.

*John Steinbeck*: East of Eden, Of Mice and Men, The Grapes of Wrath, Cannery Row.

*F. Scott Fitzgerald*:The Great Gatsby

*Jean M. Auel*:The Clan of the Cave Bear

*Aldous Huxley*: Brave New World 




Hope that helps!
Sharon.


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## cuchuflete

Valerie, 
As you requested short stories, have a look here:  http://www.americanliterature.com/SS/SSINDX.HTML
These are classics.

Cuchu


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## valerie

Sharon, your're recommending me the grapes of wrath as a short novel?    I read it in French many years ago, and if I remember well it was a BIG book, from the quality bue also quantity point of view  
I prefer short stories or novel (as for now), because even if I spend 3 or 4 days to read it, I do not loose the thread (?), which would not be the case with a bigger novel.

As for science fiction, I used to read some of your recommendations many years ago in French, but this is a good idea, I might repeat


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## cuchuflete

Here are more classics, online:  http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-stories/Collections/ClasAmer.shtml
C


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## Sharon

valerie said:
			
		

> Sharon, your're recommending me the grapes of wrath as a short novel?    I read it in French many years ago, and if I remember well it was a BIG book, from the quality bue also quantity point of view
> I prefer short stories or novel (as for now), because even if I spend 3 or 4 days to read it, I do not loose the thread (?), which would not be the case with a bigger novel.
> 
> As for science fiction, I used to read some of your recommendations many years ago in French, but this is a good idea, I might repeat


Valerie ,

That's what I thought, too, but when you said "Classics" and I didn't know what you liked, I googled for "high school reading list."  The site I found had the reading level next to all of the books, and it said Grapes of Wrath was a ninth grade reading  level. I"m not sure of that, because in the twelfth grade, it was on our list of choices. 

 As I read the list, I remembered that Cuchu had said to post any questions in the English forum,  and I admit that influenced my choosing of your list! Half of those books are within an arm's reach.  
Of the other half, some I have read before, and some are still on my list of "I ought to read that someday...."  Since you have read Grapes of Wrath before, the story will be a little familiar, and I really ought to read it someday!! 

Sharon.


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## cuchuflete

Hi Sharon...just to prove I can be a PITA...guess what that means!!,  

What is the title of this thread?

Cuchu
advocate of close reading of text






			
				Sharon said:
			
		

> Valerie ,
> 
> That's what I thought, too, but when you said "Classics" and I didn't know what you liked, I googled for "high school reading list." The site I found had the reading level next to all of the books, and it said Grapes of Wrath was a ninth grade reading level. I"m not sure of that, because in the twelfth grade, it was on our list of choices.
> 
> As I read the list, I remembered that Cuchu had said to post any questions in the English forum,  and I admit that influenced my choosing of your list! Half of those books are within an arm's reach.
> Of the other half, some I have read before, and some are still on my list of "I ought to read that someday...." Since you have read Grapes of Wrath before, the story will be a little familiar, and I really ought to read it someday!!
> 
> Sharon.


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## fetchezlavache

anything by *raymond carver* valérie
*peter matthiessen*'s 'on the river styx and other stories' totally baffled me.
if there is a must read of *james joyce : 'the dead'*


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## David

Classic short novel Hemingway, Old Man and the Sea
Faulkner's novels are not long; ditto Willa Cather, Eudora Welty
Mark Twain's stories, including Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County
Modern day country humor: sketches of Garrison Keillor

If you like mystery more than "literature," try the detective stories of John MacDonald, including Travis McGee series: excellent command of English and deeper than they seem on the surface.

African American classic, Baldwin, Another Country (short)


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## el alabamiano

valerie said:
			
		

> I'd like to read good literature in English, but as I do not dare reading an entire novel, I'd like you to recommend me short stories, or short novels. I'm not afraid of classics, if the language allows it.Thanks


Anything by Edgar Allan Poe. http://www.eapoe.org/works/index.htm


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## valerie

Sharon said:
			
		

> Valerie ,
> 
> That's what I thought, too, but when you said "Classics" and I didn't know what you liked, I googled for "high school reading list."  The site I found had the reading level next to all of the books, and it said Grapes of Wrath was a ninth grade reading  level. I"m not sure of that, because in the twelfth grade, it was on our list of choices.
> 
> As I read the list, I remembered that Cuchu had said to post any questions in the English forum,  and I admit that influenced my choosing of your list! Half of those books are within an arm's reach.
> Of the other half, some I have read before, and some are still on my list of "I ought to read that someday...."  Since you have read Grapes of Wrath before, the story will be a little familiar, and I really ought to read it someday!!
> 
> Sharon.



Sharon, 

Thank you so much for your suggestions, your idea of searching of high school list is a very good one. I loved Ray bradbury, and I'm not so afraid of coming accross difficult language. But short story is a requirement because I'm not sure I have patience enough to spend months on one big novel.  

Thanks again


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## valerie

fetchezlavache said:
			
		

> anything by *raymond carver* valérie
> *peter matthiessen*'s 'on the river styx and other stories' totally baffled me.
> if there is a must read of *james joyce : 'the dead'*



Thank you , fetch,

I have read in French some years ago a book called 'le léopard des neiges' by matthiessen (the snow leopard), and I remember being totally captivated. I highly recommend it. As for Joyce... well, I'll try it again


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## rob

i recommend, earnest hemingway, and dumas books...so short yet valuable.


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## valerie

Cuchu,

Estos sitios son joyas. These sites are wonderful, they offer lots of short stories, of different authors, classics and also comtemporary. And the story is just at arm's length.
Thank you very much


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## valerie

Thanks for your suggestions, David, I might try very soon the Old Man and the Sea.  Faulkner frightens me somehow, I read 'le bruit et la fureur' (The sound and the fury) in French a long time ago. And yes I also do like detective stories


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## valerie

el alabamiano said:
			
		

> Anything by Edgar Allan Poe. http://www.eapoe.org/works/index.htm



Thanks el alabamiano, Poe is one of the best memory of my English classes, which, apart form that day we read some poems by Poe,  were quite pathetic. From a short look at one of the tale, it seems that it is the sort of language I might understand easier (old fashion British  ). Let's hope I'm wrong on this one


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## valerie

rob said:
			
		

> i recommend, earnest hemingway, and dumas books...so short yet valuable.



Rob, 
I think Dumas is not the best choice for me, if only because his book are really not short enough  , and without offending the translators who may read this, I would prefer books originally written in English. I think I'm going to read Hemingway soon.
Thanks


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## Sharon

Valerie, 

After some _close reading of text_,   I have made a short list.  What *I* gathered is that you want literature, possibly classics, have read at least a few science fiction books, loved Ray Bradbury, like detectives and mysteries, enjoyed Poe, and...want something short. 

You could try J.R.R. Tolkein's _The Hobbit_, and the _Lord of the Rings _trilogy. You might enjoy reading short stories/books by: Algernon Blackwood, Roald Dahl, Isaac Asimov, Edgar Rice Burroughs, 
Agatha Christie, or one of the books from the "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" collection. 

Hope that helps!
Sharon.

Cuchu, I am a bartender,  I don't have to _guess_ what a PITA is!!


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## cuchuflete

Sharon said:
			
		

> Valerie,
> 
> After some _close reading of text_,   I have made a short list.  What *I* gathered is that you want literature, possibly classics, have read at least a few science fiction books, loved Ray Bradbury, like detectives and mysteries, enjoyed Poe, and...want something short.
> 
> You could try J.R.R. Tolkein's _The Hobbit_, and the _Lord of the Rings _trilogy. You might enjoy reading short stories/books by: Algernon Blackwood, Roald Dahl, Isaac Asimov, Edgar Rice Burroughs,
> Agatha Christie, or one of the books from the "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" collection.
> 
> Hope that helps!
> Sharon.
> 
> Cuchu, I am a bartender,  I don't have to _guess_ what a PITA is!!



Sharon--- Ouch!

Valerie---If you would like to read some beautiful, though egocentric, writing, pick up anything by Bruce Chatwin. You can read a single chapter over and over again, and just meditate on the words and the ideas. He wrote "travel books" that were a combination of art history, adventure, anthropology, and autobiography. Fascinating! 

He had a marvelous theory that people are divided into city dwellers and walkers/wanderers....and he was both. If you enjoy traveling, and I don't mean tourism, you will enjoy Chatwin's work. My favorite is one called






For good reviews of Chatwins work, go here

regards,
Cuchu


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## valerie

Sharon said:
			
		

> Valerie,
> You could try J.R.R. Tolkein's _The Hobbit_, and the _Lord of the Rings _trilogy.


lol Sharon, thanks for your *other* suggestions


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## leonestdebil

hello
i truly recommend you short stories by nabokov. (yesss the author of lolita) most of his stories are early writings (des ecrits de jeunesse...) from the 20's to the 60's i'd say and they are full of linguistic inventiveness. he tackles a lot of different styles, fairy tales, parodies of fairy tales, detective stories... and man this is story telling!  
L.


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## zebedee

valerie,

Roald Dahl's "Tales of the Unexpected" are, as the title suggests, short tales in simple-to-read English with a twist at the end of each one. The plots to the stories will stay with you for a loooong time...

zeb


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## DesertCat

You might also consider some of these compilations:

The Best American Short Stories of the Century 
The Best American Short Stories (mmyy) <-- a yearly publication
Best Short Stories of the Modern Age


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## manuycacu

I don't know if someone has already mentioned him (I honestly didn't check all the posts in this thread) but I personally recommend Roald Dahl, specially Lamb to the Slaughter. Hope you enjoy it.


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## Sharon

Zebedee and Manuycacu, 

Since both of you have read Dahl - if you have not read _Some One Like You_, or _Switch Bitch_, I recommend them. If you decide to read _Some One Like You_, skip ahead to the story "Skin" first!!   Yes, those plots stay with you a long time!

Sharon.


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## zebedee

Sharon said:
			
		

> Zebedee and Manuycacu,
> 
> Since both of you have read Dahl - if you have not read _Some One Like You_, or _Switch Bitch_, I recommend them. If you decide to read _Some One Like You_, skip ahead to the story "Skin" first!!   Yes, those plots stay with you a long time!
> 
> Sharon.



Yes, Sharon, I've read _Someone Like You_, and "Skin" will definitely accompany me to the end of my days. I think it's in _Tales of the Unexpected _ too. How about "Dip in the Pool" or "Genesis & Catastrophe"?


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## abc

Valerie,

Sorry for delivering my promise a little late. Here's a bundle of short stories that you might want to take a look at.


200 Years of American Short Stories. ISBN 039520447x.
William Faulkner's Short Stories by Carothers. ISBN 0835715000
Collected Stories of Tennessee Williams. ISBN 0811209520
The Tales of Henry James by Aziz. ISBN 0198124570
The Short Stories of Thomas Hardy by Brady. ISBN 0312722192
Modern Irish Short Stories edited by Forkner. ISBN 0670483249
Best Short Stories for Teaching Literature and Developing Comprehension by Harris. ISBN 0890613184
That's What I Like about the South and Other Southern Stories for the Nineties. ISBN 0872498646
The Oxford Book of American Short Stories edited by Oates. ISBN 0195070658
Where is Here?: Stories by Joyce Carol Oates. ISBN 0880012838
Writing Our Way Home: Contemporary Stories by American Jewish Writers. ISBN 0805241108
The Oxford Book of New Zealand Short Stories by O'Sullivan. ISBN 0195582519
Spider Woman's Granddaughters: Traditional Tales and Contemporary Writing by Native American Women edited by Allen. ISBN 044990508x
The Short Stories of F. Scott. Fitzerald. ISBN 0684191601
Children of the Night: the Best Short Stories by Black writers 1967 - Present. ISBN 0316599263
Major American Short Stories. ISBN 0195078993
Black American Short Stories: 100 Years of the Best. ISBN 0374523541
Selected Short Stories of Virginia Woolf by Kemp. ISBN 0140185666
93 Best Canadian Stories. ISBN 0887509274
Uncle Tom's Children by Richard Wright. ISBN 0060812516
Modern Scottish Short Stories. ISBN 0241100585
Best Irish Short Stories. ISBN 0236400320
Marriages and Infidelities by Joyce Carol Oates. ISBN 0814907180
The Complete Stories of Truman Capoted. ISBN 0679643109


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## fetchezlavache

leonestdebil said:
			
		

> hello
> i truly recommend you short stories by nabokov. (yesss the author of lolita) most of his stories are early writings (des ecrits de jeunesse...) from the 20's to the 60's i'd say and they are full of linguistic inventiveness. he tackles a lot of different styles, fairy tales, parodies of fairy tales, detective stories... and man this is story telling!
> L.



agreed. he is my favourite author. his short stories are a little bit easier to read than his novels. he is such a wordsmith that sometimes it gets a bit 'heavy'. but i love him !


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## Sharon

zebedee said:
			
		

> Yes, Sharon, I've read _Someone Like You_, and "Skin" will definitely accompany me to the end of my days. I think it's in _Tales of the Unexpected _ too. How about "Dip in the Pool" or "Genesis & Catastrophe"?


 Zebedee,

I had forgotten "Dip in the Pool"  so I had to reread it, and while I was looking at the table of contents, I saw "Lamb to the Slaughter," which Manuycacu recommended, so, well, since I had the book in my hand...  I have never read "Genesis & Catastrophe" so it appears a trip to the library is in order!!

Have you ever read "For All The Rude People" by Jack Ritchie, or "The Twenty Friends of William Shaw" by Raymond E. Banks? They were both in  _Stories Not for the Nervous_, one of the Alfred Hitchcock presents series, although I'm sure both have been in other books - I just can't name them.  

Sharon.


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