Category: Favorites

April 2024 favorites

April 2024

The April stories ordered solely by my personal tastes.

  1. ‘The Basement Room’ by Graham Greene
  2. ‘Barn Burning’ by Haruki Murakami
  3. ‘Boys And Girls Like You And Me’ by Aryn Kyle
  4. ‘The Sea Latch’ by Cara Blue Adams
  5. ‘Hole’ by Andrew Porter
  6. ‘Face Time’ by Lorrie Moore
  7. ‘The Reverse Bug’ by Lore Segal
  8. ‘The Eclipse’ by Elizabeth Spencer
  9. ‘A Wet Day’ by Mary Lavin
  10. ‘Paradise’ by Edna O’Brien
  11. ‘The Swan’ by Roald Dahl
  12. ‘Which Is More Than I Can Say About Some People’ by Lorrie Moore
  13. ‘The Disappeared’ by Andrew Porter
  14. ‘B.F. And Me’ by Lucia Berlin
  15. ‘By The Waters Of Babylon’ by Stephen Vincent Benét
  16. ‘A Thing At Work’ by George Saunders
  17. ‘I, Buffalo’ by Vauhini Vara
  18. ‘The Mom Of Bold Action’ by George Saunders
  19. ‘The Man Who Loved Islands’ by D.H. Lawrence
  20. ‘Draft Day’ by Rattawut Lapcharoensap
  21. ‘Texas’ by David Gates
  22. ‘Wish You Were Here’ by Claire Vaye Watkins
  23. ‘A Sheltered Woman’ by Yiyun Li
  24. ‘The Greatest Gift’ by Philip Van Doren Stern
  25. ‘Unknown Unknowns’ by Vauhini Vara
  26. ‘Chance The Cat’ by David Means
  27. ‘The Island’ by Tove Jansson
  28. ‘Island’ by Gretel Ehrlich
  29. ‘The Wisdom Of Eve’ by Mary Orr
  30. ‘Life Without Children’ by Roddy Doyle

As always, join the conversation in the comments section below, on SSMT Facebook or on Twitter @ShortStoryMT.

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March 2024 favorites

March 2024

The March stories ordered solely by my personal tastes.

  1. ‘Torch Song’ by John Cheever
  2. ‘You Never Get It Back’ by Cara Blue Adams
  3. ‘Three Women Of Chuck’s Donuts’ by Anthony Veasna So
  4. ‘The Worm In Philly’ by Sam Lipsyte
  5. ‘Brigid’ by Mary Lavin
  6. ‘Chance’ by Alice Munro
  7. ‘Departure’ by Andrew Porter
  8. ‘The Long Black Line’ by John L’Heureux
  9. ‘The Run Of Yoursef’ by Richard Ford
  10. ‘The Slip-Up’ by John McGahern
  11. ‘The Maths Tutor’ by Tessa Hadley
  12. ‘Hearts Of Oak And Bellies Of Brass’ by John McGahern
  13. ‘Take Half, Leave Half’ by Thomas McGuane
  14. ‘What Feels Like The World’ by Richard Bausch
  15. ‘Seeing Ershadi’ by Nicole Krauss
  16. ‘The Triumph Of Night’ by Edith Wharton
  17. ‘Ocracoke Island’ by Alice Adams
  18. ‘Those As Are Brothers’ by Nancy Hale
  19. ‘The Man Who Saw The Flood’ by Richard Wright
  20. ‘Envoy’ by Caleb Crain
  21. ‘Rumm Road’ by Alice Elliott Dark
  22. ‘The Glass House’ by Chris Adrian
  23. ‘A Story Without A Title’ by Anton Chekhov
  24. ‘Beach Town’ by Amy Hempel
  25. ‘The Help’ by Mary Robison
  26. ‘Korean Jesus’ by Pete Hsu
  27. ‘So Late In The Day’ by Claire Keegan
  28. ‘The Kid Nobody Could Handle’ by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
  29. ‘Xífù’ by K-Ming Chang
  30. ‘Miss Mary Pask’ by Edith Wharton
  31. ‘You Tell Me’ by Clare Sestanovich

As always, join the conversation in the comments section below, on SSMT Facebook or on Twitter @ShortStoryMT.

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February 2024 favorites

February 2024

The February stories ordered solely by my personal tastes.

  1. ‘The Moon In Its Flight’ by Gilbert Sorrentino
  2. ‘Night Of The Living Rez’ by Morgan Talty
  3. ‘Quenby And Ola, Swede and Carl’ by Robert Coover
  4. ‘Class Picture’ by Tobias Wolff
  5. ‘Sierra Leone’ by John McGahern
  6. ‘Flight’ by John Updike
  7. ‘An Unlucky Man’ by Samanta Schweblin
  8. ‘Leaf Season’ by John Updike
  9. ‘Today Will Be A Quiet Day’ by Amy Hempel
  10. ‘Axolotl’ by Julio Cortázar
  11. ‘Roseheath’ by John Cheever
  12. ‘Plumbing’ by John Updike
  13. ‘One-Percent Humidity’ by Michelle Lyn King
  14. ‘A Real Doll’ by A.M. Homes
  15. ‘The Blessed Man Of Boston, My Grandmother’s Thimble, And Fanning Island’ by John Updike
  16. ‘The Age Of Love’ by Mary South
  17. ‘Rebecca’ by Donald Barthelme
  18. ‘Stuff’ by Joy Williams
  19. ‘Learn A Trade’ by John Updike
  20. ‘Celia Is Back’ by Amy Hempel
  21. ‘The Rescue’ by John Updike
  22. ‘Chow!’ by Patricia Collinge
  23. ‘The Leap’ by Louise Erdrich
  24. ‘The Return’ by Elizabeth Bowen
  25. ‘The Alligators’ by John Updike
  26. ‘When Stars Collide’ by Ottessa Moshfegh
  27. ‘How I Became A Vet’ by Rivka Galchen
  28. ‘Oliver’ by Kevin Maloney
  29. ‘Embroidery’ by Ray Bradbury

As always, join the conversation in the comments section below, on SSMT Facebook or on Twitter @ShortStoryMT.

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January 2024 favorites

January 2024

The January stories ordered solely by my personal tastes.

  1. ‘City Of Churches’ by Donald Barthelme
  2. ‘In The Cart’ by Anton Chekhov
  3. ‘Parker’s Back’ by Flannery O’Connor
  4. ‘Death’ by Sherwood Anderson
  5. ‘Sophistication’ by Sherwood Anderson
  6. ‘Harrison Bergeron’ by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
  7. ‘The Continuity Of Parks’ by Julio Cortázar
  8. ‘The Night’s For Cryin’’ by Chester Himes
  9. ‘Love Is Not A Pie’ by Amy Bloom
  10. ‘The House Behind’ by Lydia Davis
  11. ‘Queer’ by Sherwood Anderson
  12. ‘The Untold Lie’ by Sherwood Anderson
  13. ‘Fjord Of Killary’ by Kevin Barry
  14. ‘Drink’ by Sherwood Anderson
  15. ‘U.F.O. In Kushiro’ by Haruki Murakami
  16. ‘Ruthy And Edie’ by Grace Paley
  17. ‘What It Takes To Keep A Young Girl Alive’ by Jayne Anne Phillips
  18. ‘In A Different Light’ by Elizabeth Taylor
  19. ‘Departure’ by Sherwood Anderson
  20. ‘An Awakening’ by Sherwood Anderson
  21. ‘Under The Boardwalk’ by Jayne Anne Phillips
  22. ‘One Night In New Jersey’ by Chester Himes
  23. ‘It’s Not You’ by Elizabeth McCracken
  24. ‘Three Popes Walk Into A Bar’ by Amy Hempel
  25. ‘My Mother’s Memoirs, My Father’s Lie, And Other True Stories’ by Russell Banks
  26. ‘Pool Night’ by Amy Hempel
  27. ‘Thunderbirds: Who, Why, and How’ by Rebecca Scherm
  28. ‘University Days’ by James Thurber
  29. ‘An Enigmatic Nature’ by Anton Chekhov
  30. ‘The New Lodger’ by Amy Hempel
  31. ‘Detour’ by Évelyne Trouillot

As always, join the conversation in the comments section below, on SSMT Facebook or on Twitter @ShortStoryMT.

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2023 favorites

2023 Favorites

Happy new year!

Every year at this time, I treat the SSMT audience to a giant list of all the stories featured on the website from the previous 12 months, organized by how much I liked them. I can’t imagine this is of interest to anyone else. But I do it anyway. The main point here is the incredible number of incredibly excellent short stories. I think this was probably my favorite year of reading.

So let’s celebrate!

In 2023, SSMT went daily for the first time – 365 short stories in 365 days. I’m planning to stop the site on June 9 of this year, which will be 10 years to the day from the start. It’s a relief to think about – with two young daughters, it’s more difficult than ever to find time for short stories. But it also makes me sad. I want to continue having time for short stories.

I guess we’ll see. The plan for now at least is to continue daily toward that 10th anniversary. And then? Who knows what’s in store?

For now, here’s that list of amazing 2023 stories, ordered by my personal enjoyment: Continue reading →

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December 2023 favorites

December 2023

The December stories ordered solely on my personal tastes. Continue reading →

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October 2023 favorites

October 2023

The October stories ordered solely by my personal tastes.

  1. ‘Seven Floors’ by Dino Buzzati
  2. ‘Behzin Meadow’ by Ivan Turgenev
  3. ‘The Yellow Ranch’ by Kali Fajardo-Anstine
  4. ‘Moist House’ by Kate Folk
  5. ‘Scenes From The Left Of A Double Monster’ by Vladimir Nabokov
  6. ‘Time And Again’ by Breece D’J Pancake
  7. ‘A Tree Of Night’ by Truman Capote
  8. ‘2 B R 0 2 B’ by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
  9. ‘Out There’ by Kate Folk
  10. ‘Thrawn Janet’ by Robert Louis Stevenson
  11. ‘The Hidden Cause’ by Machado de Assis
  12. ‘Blind Girls’ by Jayne Anne Phillips
  13. ‘Luvina’ by Juan Rulfo
  14. ‘Diary Of A Madman’ by Lu Xun
  15. ‘Catskin’ by Kelly Link
  16. ‘The Eyes Have It’ by Philip K. Dick
  17. ‘Brad Carrigan, American’ by George Saunders
  18. ‘Frights’ by Allegra Hyde
  19. ‘The Horla’ by Guy de Maupassant
  20. ‘The Intruder’ by Nada Alic
  21. ‘The Price’ by Neil Gaiman
  22. ‘The Self-Improvement Of Salvadore Ross’ by Henry Slesar
  23. ‘A Little More Research’ by Joan Hess
  24. ‘Death Of A Romance Writer’ by Joan Hess
  25. ‘What A Thought’ by Shirley Jackson
  26. ‘The Hammer Of God’ by G.K. Chesterton
  27. ‘Asleep At The Wheel’ by T. Coraghessan Boyle
  28. ‘The Call Of Cthulhu’ by H.P. Lovecraft
  29. ‘The Jewel Robbery At The Grand Metropolitan’ by Agatha Christie
  30. ‘Man-Size In Marble’ by Edith Nesbit
  31. ‘The Temple’ by Joyce Carol Oates

As always, join the conversation in the comments section below, on SSMT Facebook or on Twitter @ShortStoryMT.

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September 2023 favorites

September 2023

The September stories ordered solely by my personal tastes.

  1. ‘The Pretty Daughters’ by John O’Hara
  2. ‘Concord 34’ by Sally Rooney
  3. ‘Mojave Rats’ by Kirstin Valdez Quade
  4. ‘Ordinary Sins’ by Kirstin Valdez Quade
  5. ‘Miss Anna’s Asleep’ by Jesse Stuart
  6. ‘Bestiary’ by Julio Cortázar
  7. ‘The Strength Of God’ by Sherwood Anderson
  8. ‘On The Agenda’ by Lore Segal
  9. ‘This Farm For Sale’ by Jesse Stuart
  10. ‘Wrens And Starling’ by J.F. Powers
  11. ‘The Teacher’ by Sherwood Anderson
  12. ‘The Boundary’ by Jhumpa Lahiri
  13. ‘Adventure’ by Sherwood Anderson
  14. ‘My Girls’ by John O’Hara
  15. ‘Turn Back The Bed’ by Wendell Berry
  16. ‘Roy’ by Timothy Willis Sanders
  17. ‘The Boy Upstairs’ by Joshua Ferris
  18. ‘The Thinker’ by Sherwood Anderson
  19. ‘Battle With The Bees’ by Jesse Stuart
  20. ‘As Ye Sows, So Shall Ye Reap’ by Jesse Stuart
  21. ‘A Big Night’ by Leslie Norris
  22. ‘Old Hope’ by Clare Sestanovich
  23. ‘You’ll Enjoy It When You Get There’ by Elizabeth Taylor
  24. ‘The Discovery Of Kentucky’ by Wendell Berry
  25. ‘Trash’ by Souvankham Thammavongsa
  26. ‘The Woman The Book Read’ by Sarah Hall
  27. ‘Respectability’ by Sherwood Anderson
  28. ‘Tandy’ by Sherwood Anderson
  29. ‘A Ribbon For Baldy’ by Jesse Stuart
  30. ‘Loneliness’ by Sherwood Anderson

As always, join the conversation in the comments section below, on SSMT Facebook or on Twitter @ShortStoryMT.

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August 2023 favorites

August 2023

The August stories ordered solely on my personal tastes.

  1. ‘All Will Be Well’ by Yiyun Li
  2. ‘Virginia City’ by Claire Vaye Watkins
  3. ‘A Consent’ by Wendell Berry
  4. ‘The Hurt Man’ by Wendell Berry
  5. ‘A Sandstone Farmhouse’ by John Updike
  6. ‘Wednesday’s Child’ by Yiyun Li
  7. ‘After The Theatre’ by Anton Chekhov
  8. ‘Don’t Send A Boy To Do A Man’s Work’ by Wendell Berry
  9. ‘The Devastating Boys’ by Elizabeth Taylor
  10. ‘The Bride’ by Maeve Brennan
  11. ‘The First Kiss’ by Clarice Lispector
  12. ‘Exit Zero’ by Marie-Helene Bertino
  13. ‘The Lost Bet’ by Wendell Berry
  14. ‘Home Sickness’ by George Moore
  15. ‘Bettering Myself’ by Ottessa Moshfegh
  16. ‘The Management Of Grief’ by Bharati Mukherjee
  17. ‘Brawler’ by Lauren Groff
  18. ‘Plan Of The Peak Cavern’ by Emily Temple
  19. ‘Three Days’ by Samantha Hunt
  20. ‘Gryphon’ by Charles Baxter
  21. ‘Cords’ by Edna O’Brien
  22. ‘The Archivist’ by Claire Vaye Watkins
  23. ‘Moon Rocket’ by Elizabeth Spencer
  24. ‘Separation’ by Clare Sestanovich
  25. ‘Thicker Than Liquor’ by Wendell Berry
  26. ‘The Cult Of Mary’ by Laura Van Den Berg
  27. ‘You Are Now Entering The Human Heart’ by Janet Frame
  28. ‘Wide Spot’ by Thomas McGuane
  29. ‘A Prize For Every Player’ by A.M. Homes
  30. ‘Lord Emsworth And The Girlfriend’ by P.G. Wodehouse
  31. ‘Resistance’ by Stephan Enter

As always, join the conversation in the comments section below, on SSMT Facebook or on Twitter @ShortStoryMT.

Subscribe to the Short Story Magic Tricks Monthly Newsletter to get the latest short story news, contests and fun.

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