z

Young Writers Society


Favorite Short Stories



User avatar
425 Reviews



Gender: Gendervague he/she/they
Points: 50
Reviews: 425
Sat Apr 28, 2018 7:22 pm
View Likes
Vervain says...



One of my favorite short stories, coming from my time in public school, is Ray Bradbury's "There Will Come Soft Rains". The title (and premise) comes from a work by a poet I love, Sara Teasdale, and it's beautifully written. It's admittedly not the most complex story in the world, but it hit me hard in my formative years, and I fell in love with it.

What's your favorite short story? Why?
stay off the faerie paths
  





User avatar
141 Reviews



Gender: Male
Points: 34531
Reviews: 141
Sat Apr 28, 2018 7:35 pm
View Likes
Hattable says...



I really liked The Secret Life of Walter Mitty by James Thurber.

I'm not entirely sure why, exactly, but it was fun seeing these different scenarios and scenes that the main character imagined, and then seeing where he really was? It's been a long time since I read it, so aah. It was an instant favorite, though.

I should find it and read it again.

--

EDIT: This one is flash fiction, but it's done entirely in dialogue. I read it in high school and it was kind of interesting. Only just found it again: http://www.terrybisson.com/page6/page6.html
Last edited by Hattable on Sat Apr 28, 2018 8:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"I remember I posted Klingon and it made the mods super hard" -Willard

Prok once said something about Nate and apple pie. I forget the context.
  





User avatar
541 Reviews



Gender: Female
Points: 370
Reviews: 541
Sat Apr 28, 2018 8:06 pm
View Likes
Lauren2010 says...



Victory Lap by George Saunders. I've never seen an author juggle multiple perspectives so well in a short story, especially while maintaining tension. Plus, George Saunders is just a gem.
Got YWS?
  





User avatar
373 Reviews



Gender: Female
Points: 46306
Reviews: 373
Sat Apr 28, 2018 8:48 pm
View Likes
PrincessInk says...



I haven't read *a lot* of short stories, but I do have my favorites. "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button", by F. Scott Fitzgerald is one of them. I read it for a literary analysis and I really enjoyed it! The premise is super fascinating, and it's interesting to see how it plays out--especially in the main character's relationships with his family and friends.

Also, O. Henry is a master at putting a twist in short stories. When I read his work, I'm always looking forward for that twist. A favorite of his is "The Last Leaf" (and it's famous, isn't it?) I thought the ending (with a twist!) was sad...but somehow there's something lovely about it too.
always daydreaming, always clumsy
  





User avatar
1227 Reviews



Gender: Female
Points: 147270
Reviews: 1227
Sat Apr 28, 2018 10:29 pm
View Likes
alliyah says...



When I was in High School for AP Lit, I think we had a short-stories section and I remember liking "The Lady with the Dog" by Anton Chekhov the best. If you take the story's characters to be models of how you should go and live your life, it's problematic, but if you just understand it as a description of how life and emotion can get muddled up in the world it's pretty neat. Just really enjoyed the symbolism, writing, and characterization along the way there.
you should know i am a time traveler &
there is no season as achingly temporary as now
but i have promised to return
  





User avatar
1085 Reviews



Gender: Female
Points: 90000
Reviews: 1085
Sun Apr 29, 2018 10:32 am
View Likes
Mea says...



I'm a huge fan of a lot of Isaac Asimov's short stories because of all the cool ideas they explore, but by far my favorite has to be "The Last Question." (You can read it here!) It's just such a *fascinating* concept, told so well and succinctly through a series of vignettes, and the ending is honestly awe-inspiring to think about. I think I first read it when I was 13 or 14, and it's stayed with me ever since.
We're all stories in the end.

I think of you as a fairy with a green dress and a flower crown and stuff.
-EternalRain

I think you, @Deanie and I are like the Three Book Nerd Musketeers of YWS.
-bluewaterlily
  








The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.
— Alvin Toffler