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A pithy, easy-to-read collection, with an excellent introduction, especially for devotees of the author.
PREMIUM
Innards: Stories
Soweto-born Makhene uses her unique voice to characterize South Africa much as Ben Okri does for Nigeria or NoViolet Bulwayo for Zimbabwe. Her debut collection is necessarily difficult and disturbingly intense, as any stories of life under apartheid must be, but careful reading will unearth kernels of the inherent resilience and humor of her people.
Not just for fans of Russian literature, though casual readers may be challenged; the discerning will find much brilliance here.
PREMIUM
Cursed Bunny: Stories
Fans of unsettling short stories should give Chung’s twisted modern folk tales a listen. These visceral, smart tales, teaching their lessons through suffering, make an impact.
These stories will resonate with listeners and are excellent for book clubs. Pair with Omolola Ogunyemi’s Jollof Rice and Other Revolutions.
PREMIUM
White Cat, Black Dog: Stories
Patrons who enjoy the bizarre and fantastical will be enchanted. Share with fans of Christina Henry’s Into the Forest or A.A. Balaskovits’s Strange Folk You’ll Never Meet.
This is an exquisite marriage of writer and narrators. Every collection should include these brilliantly written stories that combine sharp social commentary with truly captivating characters.
PREMIUM
Queer Little Nightmares
Listeners will likely sympathize and perhaps even root for these monsters not because they are monstrous but because their status as outsiders is universally human.
An essential addition to any collection where short stories from around the world are in demand. For lovers of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Lisa Cupolo, and Mai Nardone.
PREMIUM
The Last Catastrophe: Stories
Fans of speculative fiction, The Twilight Zone, and Black Mirror should enjoy. Although listeners can relish this chilling and timely collection one story at a time, some may find that they can’t put this one down.
PREMIUM
Onlookers: Stories
Full of ambivalent love, modern Southern charm, and contemporary concerns, the stories in this collection are timeless as well as sharply contemporary.
Penzler’s latest is remarkable in size and scope, but listeners may want to enjoy in print rather than audio.
A sometimes harrowing, sometimes gruesome, but always entertaining collection; listeners may want to take care not to listen near a forest! Fans of feminist folklore retellings will find much to love.
PREMIUM
Games and Rituals: Stories
Heiny seems to have a little soft spot for her fellow humans, writing honest stories generous in their portrayal of how all are just trying to connect while protecting themselves and searching for some comfort in a complicated world.
Garricks’s Nigeria is a land broken by rapid change, and his characters have been broken psychologically and spiritually by it as well, living lives filled with longing and disappointment and seeking an ever-elusive redemption.
The collection’s wide range of international authors means it has something to offer everyone. Recommended for libraries with strong SFF collections and readers who enjoy short fiction.
Nkweti’s rich heritage and nuanced writing shines throughout every story in this stunning collection. Share this important work, which details the complexity and diversity of the African diaspora experience, with fans of Lesley Nneka Arimah’s What It Means When a Man Falls from the Sky.
PREMIUM
Liberation Day: Stories
There is a reason Saunders is often cited as one of the finest short-story writers working today. Each story in this collection has the potential to be an all-time favorite, and the addition of superstar narrators makes this an essential purchase for all public libraries.
Superb narration enhances Ogunyemi’s extraordinary writing, with atmospheric Nigeria and its language making this audio a must-listen.
Each story in this charming collection flows naturally, conveying how owners and their pets understand and nurture each other. The outstanding audio production brings listeners the same audience intimacy as a well-performed play.
There are a couple of standouts, including the eponymous story about Paul’s attempts to tell his stepdaughter that her father is not returning. Give to those who enjoy quick reads that require deep thought.
PREMIUM
A New Race of Men from Heaven
Recommended for readers who enjoy thoughtful fiction with well-developed characters navigating difficult situations.
PREMIUM
A Manual for How To Love Us
Slaughter admirably conveys a heightened awareness of how we harbor within our tamed lives an undeniable wildness.
As Saba boards her flight, she looks back, wondering if her relatives “might connect with her one more time,” and the need to connect shines throughout this strong collection.
PREMIUM
Call and Response: Stories
Moeng, a former Stegner Fellow at Stanford with an MFA from the University of Mississippi, writes with lush, heartfelt intensity that illuminates contemporary Botswana for readers who value complex female characters navigating a rapidly changing world.
PREMIUM
The Faraway World: Stories
Engel’s character-focused short stories are thought-provoking and intense; readers of literary fiction will enjoy this masterfully written collection.
With frequent nods to both contemporary and classic ghost-story writers (Daphne Du Maurier, Henry James), the success of these stories lies not just in the well-crafted writing but in the conscious mixing of a shape-shifting old world with an unreliably secure modern world. A masterly recharging of a treasured literary tradition that Murray clearly loves and respects.
For those that enjoyed Rachel Yoder’s Nightbitch and Ottessa Moshfegh’s My Year of Rest and Relaxation, this is a great addition to the genre that might be called “millennial ennui.”
A vibrant short story collection brimming with NYC culture and authentic characters from a debut author with an insider’s perspective.
PREMIUM
Walk the Blue Fields: Stories
Award-winning Irish author Keegan (Antarctica) delivered this delightful collection of short stories in 2008...
Glose’s superbly and empathetically written book is highly recommended. While the subject matter is inherently heavy, it is compassionately managed by one who understands the journey.
These poignant stories of self-discovery revealing the faces we show to the world, our friends and family, or perhaps no one at all, alternately tug at the heartstrings and tickle the funny bone. An essential purchase.
PREMIUM
Gods of Want: Stories
Experiencing this collection in print would allow readers to more easily savor Chang’s lyrical writing, but listening provides an opportunity to fully dwell within the stories and be carried to the end.
PREMIUM
Ghost Lover: Stories
These nine short stories highlighting women’s desires, judgments, obsessions, and frustrations are intriguing, but somewhat uneven. A solid, if nonessential purchase for most libraries.
This stellar collection is an essential purchase for all public library collections. Recommended for those that like grit and good stories.
PREMIUM
She and Her Cat: Stories
Reminiscent of the animated film The Secret Life of Pets, this work may be short, but it’s a surprisingly engrossing and entertaining light read. Readers looking for a quick and overall uplifting work should consider picking up this title, and it’s sure to be appreciated by pet lovers all around.
PREMIUM
Witnesses for the Dead: Stories
A representative collection of authors are included, featuring intriguing stories with settings as varied as a detention center for immigrants to occupied Paris in 1941. The premise is unusual for a crime collection, with characters who witness a crime, and sometimes take justice into their own hands. Royalties go to the Alliance for Safe Traffic Stops.
This rich collection of interwoven stories will add a new perspective to any collection. Highly recommended, especially for libraries looking to highlight diverse voices and communities.
PREMIUM
Seven Empty Houses
A sure bet for Schweblin fans and connoisseurs of off-kilter worlds, though some readers may feel distanced.
PREMIUM
Hunger: A Novella and Stories
Paired with Wong’s understated but dramatic performance, this audiobook is an absorbing listen and a key volume for libraries seeking to add representation of Asian American voices to contemporary fiction collections.
PREMIUM
Out There: Stories
The star-studded cast of narrators (Sophie Amoss, Hannah Choi, Michael Crouch, Will Damron, Renata Friedman, and Kristen Sieh) provide the right tone for each tale, never overemphasizing the plot elements that defy reality, which allows the truth of Folk’s stories to shine through.
PREMIUM
Life Ceremony: Stories
Though a few stories could have been better developed, Murata’s premises are always eye-opening, and the result will intrigue and satisfy readers of literary and speculative fiction alike.
PREMIUM
Night of the Living Rez
Talty’s debut story collection is a wonderfully understated work with sneaky emotional force, anchored by a memorable main character and the author’s keen understanding of childhoods that have been marked by instability.
A broodingly beautiful collection made more poignant by the author’s untimely death in 2017; not just for those interested in the Armenian American experience.
This is not an easy-breezy listen, but will reward those who value the quality of the experience Hubbard, Ojo, and Jackson create together.
PREMIUM
Life Without Children: Stories
Doyle splendidly narrates his own words using his harsh, raspy voice to good effect, and a gentler tone when required; his female voices are believable. Doyle’s unique style demonstrates that suffering is a commonality, not something to be endured in silence.
Listeners who are nostalgic about the Upper West Side of Manhattan, Jewish sleep-away camp, or Shakespeare in the Park will especially enjoy hearing about these complex characters and their lives.
PREMIUM
Thank You, Mr. Nixon: Stories
Recommended for listeners who enjoy Alice Munro’s finely tuned portraits of ordinary people.
PREMIUM
A Blind Corner
Macy (Mrs.) brings these stories to life with a sharp moral critique and an observant eye.
The 12 stories that make up MacLaverty’s seventh collection emphasize his mastery of image, characterization, and dialogue. He remains one of the most graceful storytellers in modern literature.
Of interest to readers who enjoy short stories, particularly those who are interested in the history of Europe and the history of bookmaking and literacy.
PREMIUM
Secrets of Happiness
Silber’s fans, and readers who enjoy smart, humane contemporary fiction that doesn’t talk down to them, will enjoy this work.
PREMIUM
Land of Big Numbers
Told in a straightforward journalist’s style, Chen’s stories are filled with individuals facing hardships of varying degrees, with no happy endings to be found She delves into the human psyche to ponder just how far individuals will go tolerate duress. Not light reading, but this collection may be of interest to those looking for book group titles addressing the challenges of finding success, happiness, love, and contentment.
The multi-award-winning Barry (Night Boat to Tangier) dazzles with his word wizardry and the effortless grace of his perfect sentences. Highly recommended.
At turns dark, craggy, and heart-wrenching, Rash’s writing is never easy, but it is also lovely, moving, and rich in history and culture, just like the Appalachian region it so beautifully captures. Highly recommended for both those just discovering Rash and for returning readers. [See Prepub Alert, 2/4/20.]
PREMIUM
You Are Not What We Expected
Readers familiar with Toronto will appreciate the insider’s portrayal and even recognize specific buildings and blocks, but all readers can enjoy Ludwig’s (Holding My Breath) writing. She shows great empathy for her characters, even when they behave badly.
These well-crafted and intelligent stories about the many ways a life can be haunted will gratify readers who enjoy perceptive, slightly gothic tales.
PREMIUM
Fifty-Two Stories
Though some readers may prefer a more straightforward, colloquial style, fans of heightened language will enjoy this translation, which should appeal to a wide audience. A comprehensive volume that will satisfy the needs of many libraries.
Cosmopolitan aficionados of pristine short fiction--think Paul Yoon, Jhumpa Lahiri, and Phil Klay--will want to read. [See Prepub Alert, 10/7/19.]
PREMIUM
Verge
A dark and often unsettling collection that some readers will find difficult but that will reward those seeking fierce, intimate writing. [See Prepub Alert, 8/5/19.]
This short collection takes a respectable look at the ways we evade our own truths but doesn’t engage as deeply as its subjects merit. [See Prepub Alert, 8/5/19.]
Each story is vivid, unexpected, and satisfyingly weird. Darkly comic and whip-smart, this collection is recommended for readers of Aimee Bender and Alexandra Kleeman.
PREMIUM
Grand Union: Stories
The caliber of these pieces varies, but Smith’s keen intellect shines through them all. Both her fans and readers who enjoy smart fiction with an up-to-the-minute sensibility, will find much to like. [See Prepub Alert, 3/25/19.]
The haunting yet engaging stories in this comprehensive collection will expose Onetti to a much broader readership than has heretofore existed.
PREMIUM
Wake, Siren: Ovid Resung
Though some of the stories feel overly experimental and some retellings work better than others, this reenvisioning of Ovid’s immortal work offers passages of unforgettable beauty and much strength in the voices of women trying to become themselves.
These stories cover a broad spectrum of situations and will appeal to a wide range of readers. A remarkable introduction to one of the unsung women writers of Argentine letters.
PREMIUM
Kitchen Curse
Despite possible disappointment, Kurniawan groupies won’t be deterred; for newbies, go to the novels for greater fictional satisfaction.
This dynamic--and often harrowing--collection beautifully spotlights lives that are rough around the edges; not standard fare but highly recommended.
PREMIUM
Fly Already
Originally written in Hebrew, the pieces in this fine collection lose nothing in translation; the wit and humanity of each tale survive intact. Ideal reading for short bursts of time or short attention spans. [See Prepub Alert, 3/4/19.]
These stories from National Book Award and Los Angeles Times Book Prize finalist Walbert are poignant and compelling; each is complete in itself but will leave the reader wanting more. Recommended for all short story readers. [See Prepub Alert, 3/15/19.]
PREMIUM
The World Doesn’t Require You
In a narrative playing fast and loose with grammatical convention, Scott offers a strongly developed sense of place that, fantastical though it may be, is evocative of Anderson and Faulkner. [See Prepub Alert, 2/4/19.]
One of the abiding pleasures of short stories is that their various landscapes invite readers to dip into a single, perfectly formed tale or settle down and drift into the entire collection. These six anthologies offer both experiences.
PREMIUM
The Art of the Short Story
Both veteran and rising authors demonstrate mastery of the short form.
PREMIUM
Zolitude: Stories
Not for the fainthearted or lovers of straightforward plot, but brilliant for anyone preferring heightened reading.
PREMIUM
Good Trouble: Stories
Absorbing reading sophisticates will love. [See Prepub Alert, 12/11/17.]
PREMIUM
Come Westand See: Stories
The stories don't always connect as much as one is led to expect, but the writing is sure-footed and the disquieting sense of a world upended successfully delivered.
PREMIUM
The Immigrant's Refrigerator
A keen, sobering work; ten percent of profits will go to the Vermont Refugee Resettlement Center.
PREMIUM
The Owl That Carries Us Away
Excellent reading for those who value meditative, beautiful storytelling.
PREMIUM
Fight No More: Stories
Top-notch, in-your-face work from the priceless Millet. [See Prepub Alert, 12/11/17.]
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