Though not as widely read as their lengthier counterpart the novel, short stories can pack explosive power into just several thousand words (or less!).
Masters of this story form know how to cut the fluff and appeal to readers’ emotions with efficient prose. A great short story offers a window into a different world or a specific character’s life, and stays with us long after we’re done reading.
And while short stories can be enjoyed individually, it’s always nice to have more on hand for your next break or quiet evening at home, especially if you’ve found an author you’re fond of. That’s where short story collections come in handy.
Best Short Story Collections
Below are 15 of the best short story collections that pack a punch with award-winning sets of condensed, but always powerful, narratives.
1. What We Talk About When We Talk About Love by Raymond Carver
Published in 1981, this collection of short stories by Raymond Carver includes the iconic title story, along with others that explore the lives of people in Middle America and the ordinary activities that make up their days.
Through this collection, Carver demonstrates his gift of crafting simple but powerful dialogue that can convey love or heartache in so few words, and reminds us why he is among the most celebrated short-story writers in American literature.
2. A Manual for Cleaning Women by Lucia Berlin
A Manual for Cleaning Women was published in 2015, 11 years after Lucia Berlin’s death. Sadly, she never gained much recognition for her writing during her lifetime, but this posthumous publication has sparked a growing appreciation for her brilliant work.
This collection compiles the best of Berlin’s short stories, featuring tales infused with both grit and humor, wit and melancholy, as she reveals moments of grace in everyday places, from laundromats to halfway houses.
3. The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway by Ernest Hemingway
In this definitive, posthumous collection of Ernest Hemingway’s short stories, revisit beloved classics such as “The Snows of Kilimanjaro,” “Hills Like White Elephants,” and “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place,” and see why although The Champ is mostly remembered as a novelist, he did some of his best work with short stories. For longer reads, check out our list of the best Hemingway books.
4. This Is How You Lose Her by Junot Diaz
Consistently ranked among the best short story collections of all time, this 2012 collection is full of energetic, inventive, tender, and funny stories that demonstrate the longing and weakness of the human heart.
The stories take place in different settings, but the one constant is the recurring protagonist, Yunior, whose love and recklessness we follow closely as we get to know the extraordinary women he loves and loses.
5. Blow-up and Other Stories by Julio Cortázar
This collection of 15 short stories by Argentine writer Julio Cortázar blends the everyday with the mysterious, delivering a chilling sense of unease.
The title story, “Blow-Up,” actually inspired the Michelangelo Antonioni film of the same name. Other notable titles include “House Taken Over” and “Continuity of Parks.”
6. Drifting House by Krys Lee
Another memorable collection from 2012, Drifting House explores the Korean immigrant experience, with stories take place in the United States and Korea, from the postwar era to contemporary times.
From famine in North Korea, to the financial crisis of South Korea, and Koreatown strip malls across the U.S., these stories speak to the political and financial hardships of daily life for Koreans and immigrants around the world.
7. Dubliners by James Joyce
The 15 short stories featured in Dubliners offer an intimate and vibrant look at what middle-class life in Ireland was like at the start of the 20th century, during the height of Irish nationalism.
Published in 1914, this collection also features the debut appearances for several characters who go on to appear in Ulysses, as well as some unforgettable tales like “Araby,” “Grace,” and “The Dead.”
8. Everything’s Eventual: 14 Dark Tales by Stephen King
This collection of 14 dark and often horrific tales includes three award-winning stories, as well as “Riding the Bullet,” King’s original ebook. Each story is also accompanied by personal commentary from King himself.
If you’re looking for a good scare, try “Lunch at thee Gotham Café” or “1408,” originally made for audio.
9. Ficciones by Jorge Luis Borges
Written between 1941 and 1956 and translated in 1962, Ficciones unites the most popular short stories of Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges.
The 17 stories featured in this collection blend myth, legend, history, and fantasy, demonstrating Borges’s intellect and inventiveness through his use of irony, skepticism, and fantastical elements.
10. Florida by Lauren Groff
This 2018 finalist for the National Book Award features stories of different towns and centuries in the Sunshine State, where swamps, hurricanes, snakes, gators, and merciless humidity serve as the backdrop for tales of survival, motherhood, and abandonment.
11. Runaway by Alice Munro
Featuring 8 stories by award-winning Canadian author Alice Munro, this collection uses straightforward prose to tell the stories of women and their relationships, including love, friendship, and motherhood.
As the name suggests, the idea of running away is a recurring theme throughout these stories, including the three that feature Juliet and her complicated intimate relationships.
12. Strange Pilgrims by Gabriel García Márquez
Each of the 12 stories that make up this collection portray the lives of Latin Americans in Europe, from an aging Brazilian prostitute who trains her dog to cry at her future grave, to a woman in Vienna who works as a fortuneteller for a wealthy family.
Written between 1976 and 1982, the stories use García Márquez’s trademark magical realism as he explores the melancholy, wonder, sorrow, and ambition that define the immigrant experience.
13. Men Without Women by Haruki Murakami
The 7 stories in this collection explore what happens to despairing men who are left to cope with the loss of their loved ones.
It’s a favorite of Barack Obama, who says of the book: “It’ll move you and confuse you and sometimes leave you with more questions than answers.”
14. The Complete Stories by Flannery O’Connor
Published posthumously in 1972, this collection includes 31short stories, told from the perspective of characters from the South, who face issues of racism, religious hypocrisy, gender roles, and more.
Arranged chronologically, O’Connor’s last story, “Judgement Day,” was sent to her publisher shortly before her death, and together with her first published work, “Geranium,” we can see a lively, penetrating talent come full circle with her incredible storytelling.
15. The Thing Around Your Neck by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Published in 2010, this collection of 12 short stories takes place in Nigeria, author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s birthplace, and the United States.
They explore the ties that connect men to women, parents to children, and these two countries to one another, with tales of beauty, sorrow, and longing.
Do Short Story Collections Sell?
Traditional publishing is often the most difficult route for publishing a short story collection, unless you’ve already developed a strong reputation and following, so confidence in your ability to sell well is high.
Novels remain far more popular and traditionally sell better than short stories, but traditional publishing is not your only option. You can self-publish your short story collection, work with a small or hybrid publisher, or check out this list of publications that will buy your short stories.
What Are Some Examples of Short Stories?
If you’re looking for some individual short stories to browse before you commit to a whole collection, try one of these free online short stories.
You can discover new authors, sample different genres, and be entertained, all before the end of your lunch break!
Do you have a favorite short story? Tell us your picks in the comments below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
- 22 Free Online Short Stories to Read on Your Next Break
- Get Paid to Write Short Stories: 22 Places That Publish Short Fiction
- List of Short Story Contests (Updated for 2021)
- 20 Best Poetry Books of All Time
As a blog writer for TCK Publishing, Kaelyn loves crafting fun and helpful content for writers, readers, and creative minds alike. She has a degree in International Affairs with a minor in Italian Studies, but her true passion has always been writing. Working remotely allows her to do even more of the things she loves, like traveling, cooking, and spending time with her family.
