š
I feel like they're so underrated, stories that are read in high school, and then never again in the future. But they work so well when you don't want to commit to a full book, but still want to read. Recently have been reading "The Best American Short Stories (2021)" that Jesmyn Ward edited.
My favorite story so far has been "The Miracle Girl" by Rita Chang-Eppig, I'll link to the review where it was published or a pdf or something, highly recommend reading it.
Okay so this is the only link I could find, but if you have a Project Muse login through a library or university/school, please please read it and rant about it to me.
Related Recs
My favourite short stories tend to be creepy or magical. I think due to the necessary open-endedness of short stories, it lends itself most to mystery and magic.
Angela Carterās Bloody Chamber is a great classic creepy feminist story to start with.
Carmen Maria Machadoās The Husband Stitch continued Carterās legacy
Iām a HUGE Kelly Link fan, but her stuff is very strange so might not be for everyone, but my favourite of hers is probably The Specialistās hat or Skinderās Veil
Shirley Jacksonās The Lottery is also a classic, and if you like creepy stories and want a good overview of writers in that genre, I recommend the collection āWhen Things Get Darkā, a collection inspired by the tone of Jacksonās work; it features Kelly link, Carmen Maria Machado, Joyce Carol Oates, and loads of contemporary short story writers. I discovered the story Tiptoe by Laird Barron through this and its possibly my favourite creepy short story, it sent full shivers down my spine in a way no other story had.
May 22, 2024
š
underrated. its more than just prose or poetry but not as much of a longform commitment as a novel. sometimes a story only needs 10 or 20 or 30 pages. great for people to practice writing, great to write for the sake of writing, can read one in a car ride, so much freedom in short stories. I resent the sentiment that theyāre somehow lesser or lower brow than poetry or novel.
specific ones I recommend, at least to start:
The Fall of the House of Usher (or anything by Poe, heās kinda the goat)
The Scarlet Ibis
The Metamorphosis
The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas
The Lottery
The Most Dangerous Game
Sep 3, 2024
š
or long stories, whatever floats your boat. for me, short stories seem less intimidating to get into and they usually pack a crazy punch. also good to get em in print so you arenāt staring at a screen. if you get invested in an author or series or publication, it can offer u soooooo many things to do- from checking out lil book shops, to visiting libraries, to attending readings, to joining book clubs!!! i know that in brooklyn there r a lot of rlly cool poetry readings happening in the evenings. could be fun to check out!!!
for short story recs, iād reccomend anything by Neil Gaiman, Joyce Carol Oats, or Jhumpa Lahiri :)
Jun 28, 2025
Top Recs from @mangata
Watched this for a Spanish class recently, and I think it's my favorite movie ever. The depiction of different types of love and care, as well as grief and coping and the definition of authenticity, it's so beautiful and highly recommend. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, it just felt like the movie I was searching for, where it's just inherently beautiful to be trans and queer. I love everything about it truly.
Agrado is inherently iconic and authentic, and that one scene brings me so much joy.
17h ago
š¦
It's an interactive and public app, so you can help others in your native language(s) while they help you with your target language. There are traditional game-type methods, but in general it works. If you're anything like me, I recommend getting a physical book and watching youtube videos while taking notes. It also depends on the language, as mentioned, and language learning strategies and success are very subjective. Good luck on your language learning journey!
1d ago
š¹
it's k-pop, and I love it. It's not specifically been the best received song, but I believe it to be heavenly and I just love it.
1d ago