It is often said that the best presents come in small packages. For those of us who are fans of bookstore gift cards, you know this to be true. When it comes to reading, I am partial to full length books, I admit. There is more room for an author to introduce the characters and plot, set the stage and move through the paces, time enough for me to settle in for a long ride. Short stories are over so quickly and frequently leave me feeling unsatisfied. However, short stories are good in a pinch, when time is short or as an in between filler when I need a rest between novels. Still, when a short story is done right, it can hold just as much magic and sway as a full length novel.
Despite my leanings toward the longer books, I do collect and read short story collections now and again, although not nearly as often as I might like because, well, my preference for the longer book tends to kick in.
Kate is hosting The Short Story Reading Challenge (with quite an irresistible button), offering participants several different avenues of short story reading for the challenge. For a description of each of the five options, visit the The Short Story Reading Challenge Blog. I thought I would take her up on this challenge, push myself to read more short stories this year and further open the literary door a little wider.
For this particular challenge, I am going to go with Option 5, in which I tailor the challenge to meet my own reading needs. My choices include three anthologies that touch upon the Indian culture and people, both in India and in the United States.
Love and Longing in Bombay by Vikram Chandra
Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri
Breathless in Bombay by Murzban F. Shroff
Another challenge! I'm sooo tempted! The button is lovely, I might want to participate because of that....hehe...
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting about this or I would have missed it. It should be lots of fun and I had already picked some short story collections for next year which I am hoping will count for this as well. I don't know any of the collections you piscked so it will be fun to read your reviews.
ReplyDeleteThe world of short stories is fairly new to me, so I am anxious to participate in this challenge.
ReplyDeleteDiane
Wow! You are going to be one busy lady! Are you off this week or something? I can't keep up with your posts!
ReplyDeleteOh and have a very Happy New Year Wendy!
ReplyDeleteMelody - I love the button too! I think that's what pushed me over the edge to give this one a try. I really shouldn't though . . . So much for balance. Haha
ReplyDeleteRhinoa - I'm glad you will be joining in! I should have combined, but for some reason, I just haven't been that bright when making my lists. Ugh.
Diane - It will be fun! I haven't enough exposure to short stories, I think, which is part of my problem. I'm looking forward to changing that.
Jaimie - Too busy, I think. Did I really want to keep my job? Just kidding. You guessed right, I had a couple of days off from work and then with the holidays it's turned into a long one. My posting will go back to normal now that I've got all the year end stuff done.
I hope you have a Happy New Year too!
This one is very, very tempting. And if I pick the option of reading 10 short stories by new to me authors, it really won't get in the way of other challenges.
ReplyDeletePlus, I just LOVE the button.
Nymeth - I think that just might work! :-)
ReplyDeleteI am going away for the holiday and dont' have a blog, so will post here:
ReplyDelete1. Poe, Edgar Allan The Cask of Amontillado
2. Poe, Edgar Allan The Tell-Tale Heart
3. Poe, Edgar Allan The Fall of the House of Usher
4. The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry
6. The Christening by Guy de Maupassant
7. How the Leopard Got His Spot s by Rudyard Kipling
8. The Open Window by H. H. Munro (Saki)
9. A Slander by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov
10. The Bell by Hans Christian Andersen