Modern American Short Stories

[Sveta]

Hello!
I have never read modern American short stories. And I do not know any modern American writer also. Please, could you recommend me any short story by a modern American writer which is worth to be read?
Thanks in advance.

[Dark Muse]

Stephen King writes a lot of short stories.

I think one of his best is the Apt Pupil

That is the only modern author who I know off the top of my head that I have read any short stories from.

[ClickForth]

okokok

[annakarina]

How modern do you want your short stories? Flannery O'Connor and JD Salinger aren't strictly contemporary, but they wrote some brilliant stuff.

[mmanuelap]

Stephen King is quite amazing..

[Tersely]

Stephen King writes a lot of short stories.

I think one of his best is the Apt Pupil



I looove that one. I didnt think it would end how it did.
If you ever get his book 'Everythings Eventual' Theres a good story called The Man in the Black Suit. There's actually several good stories in there.
I'd recommend King as a modern writer...I dont really know of any others.

[Dark Muse]

I enjoy his writing, but in some ways I have a sort of love hate relationship with him, and his short stories for me can be hit and miss, but overall I think he is a really good writer, and I love reading him.

I have not read Everything is Eventural yet.

So far I have read, short story wise

The Night Shift

Different Seasons

The Skelenton Crew

And so not to confuse anyone, those are the names of books which contain several short stories.

Shawshank Redemption is another excellent short story by Stephen King

[Sveta]

Thanks a lot. I'll try to find the books you've mentioned.


How modern do you want your short stories? Flannery O'Connor and JD Salinger aren't strictly contemporary, but they wrote some brilliant stuff.

Oh, I've read some and they are pretty good. It's a pity but in my case I need some stories of last twenty years.

[bouquin]

Try T.C. Boyle. I think his short stories are awesome.

[Kafka's Crow]

Joyce Carol Oats writes good short stories.

[Kent Edwins]

I like Tobias Wolff alot. This is a story from his compilation "In the Garden of North American Matyrs". It's a dreary setting where reality is obscured by the elements and the characters cease to realize their common humanity. Enjoy "Hunters in the Snow".

http://www.classicshorts.com/stories/huntsnow.html

[aeroport]

I was kinda getting into Philip Roth's stories recently. You might give "The Conversion of the Jews" a shot.
People seem to have mixed feelings about the fiction that is published in The New Yorker, but I've never found it to be bad, so you might give that a shot as well.

[Igetanotion]

I was kinda getting into Philip Roth's stories recently. You might give "The Conversion of the Jews" a shot.
People seem to have mixed feelings about the fiction that is published in The New Yorker, but I've never found it to be bad, so you might give that a shot as well.

OOOOOOHHHH I JUST finished Roth's "The Dying Animal" I really enjoyed it!

I'd totally try Roth again, he is very interesting to say the least! (At least the Dying Animal was interesting lol)

[HotKarl]

Try T.C. Boyle. I think his short stories are awesome.

I second Bouquin's recommendation. T.C. Boyle's short fiction is phenomenal.

[lavendar1]

Michael Chabon is a great short story writer (and novelist, too). His collection, A Model World, is pretty hard to beat.

[stlukesguild]

Stephen King writes a lot of short stories.

Stephen King is quite amazing..


Acccckk!!!
:brickwall

[stlukesguild]

Flannery O'Conner... yes! Sherwin Anderson, W.S. Merwin, and Donald Barthleme as well.

[Virgil]

Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitgerald.

[Granny5]

Hemingway is great. I have also read Stephen King and enjoy most of his short stories. But, I would go for Hemingway first.

[Aiculík]

Here are collections some current authors (all were published after 1980) I've read last year for my study that I liked the best:

Raymond Carver - What We Talk About When We Talk About Love
Ann Beattie - Park City, Perfect Recall
John Updike - The Afterlife
Richard Ford - A Multitude of Sins, Vintage Ford

[Latin]

Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitgerald....:thumbs_up
Of course one of the best...;)
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_story...
And why many advise Stephen King???...

[bouquin]

Here are 3 more contemporary American short story collections that I enjoyed reading:
Sweet Land Stories - E.L. Doctorow
Nine Stories - J.D. Salinger
Ten Little Indians - Sherman Alexie