Introducing: The Short Story Club

The Short Story Club

      I have never been very fond of short stories.........because when I love them........I would wish they could go on for more pages!  And it is such a disappointment to run out of pages.  It is a form of literary torture.  And who wants to be tortured? My coping mechanism has always been avoidance.


      In the last few years, I have made a conscious effort to read a few famous short stories.......... I missed so much literature in my science-based education........and I would like to do more of that, especially when I am having so much trouble these days reading longer books, as much as I am used to doing. Short stories may well be my only speed right now.


     Those short stories that I read.......begged for discussion with others. And so I have been pondering a Short Story Club for two years.  Why not? It might be an easy way to get twelve short stories read in a year........especially well-known stories, making me more well-rounded, literature-wise.  And that is always one of my life goals.  Maybe in doing so, we can keep away that dementia......plus, it is just plain fun! Willa and I love to talk literature! Join us!



So, here is my plan:

Beginning in January, I will post sometime in the first week of each month.
(This month was delayed due to an unexpected [duh] moderate-to-severe case of influenza.......followed by Blogger losing the original and completed blog post. Grrrrr. )





The chosen stories will easily be found online or in books. Your library is probably full of short-story anthologies........mine is! Thousands of short stories, free, at your fingertips.




I will usually concentrate on well-known authors or well-known stories. Might as well start with what became popular. There was a reason for that popularity.

For inspiration:

The 50 Best Short Stories of All Time

The Story of the Week
This is an excellent resource, if one takes the time to utilize it. It is a weekly email of their "story of the week."  In over a year.....I have only read two of the stories. Alas.


I am starting with this story: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.  It is a pretty amazing story.......and NOT the same story of the movie which took out much of the loveliness of the relationships. But.......more in the post for this story in the next day or so...........


And then 5 Short Stories that Every Catholic should Read may take us through the first half of the year.  I love those choices.....and have never read any of them.  I may go to 5 More Short Stories That Every Catholic Should Read for more inspiration.......but by then, I may be ready to move on.

I also want to keep this list of Catholic Authors in mind.........especially the English-speaking ones....


It's pretty simple!


Is anyone else interested?  We can have some discussion in the comments.........if we feel inspired to do so. Actually, Willa and I were thinking that maybe she and I would do a combined post of our thoughts about the given story.  No pressure for a serious discussion....just whatever happens naturally. 

Please, if you decide to read the story that month, just leave a little note in the comments stating that you are reading along with us.

And, if you have any special recommendations for future short stories......please let us know!

I will get the next Short Story Club post up shortly......


   New Year Blessings,

                          Chari