Task #22: Read a collection of stories by a woman

[Konrad]

After hearing a story of hers on This American Life, I decided to read The Girl in the Flammable Skirt by Aimee Bender. Four stories in, it's a pretty good read.

Second choice would've been No One Belongs Here More Than You by Miranda July. I read part of it a few years back and really enjoyed it.

[Monica]

Right now looking at Skin Folk by Nalo Hopkinson, Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri and/or Bloodchild and Other Stories by Octavia E. Butler.

Collection that I read last year that was good for those looking for ideas: Happiness, Like Water by Chinelo Okparanta

[Katie]

Chris wrote: "The Safety of Objects by A.M. Homes. I read it earlier this year. Terrific, disturbing stuff."

Oo! I will definitely be reading this one.

[Sam]

No One Belongs Here More Than You By Miranda July is a really good one if anyone is still looking... I read it a couple years ago and really loved it.

[Patty]

Monica wrote: "Right now looking at Skin Folk by Nalo Hopkinson, Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri and/or Bloodchild and Other Stories by ..."

I read this years ago - it was excellent. I would recommend it to anyone considering it for this challenge.

[Katie]

I was planning to use In The Country by Mia Alvar for this one. It's a collection of short stories and one novella, and it's been on my TBR for ages.

[Pamela]

I read Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri. It was depressing.

[Grace]

Would "The Opposite of Loneliness" by Marina Keegan work for this? It's got both fiction & non-fiction stories.

[Katy]

I read Whatever Happened to Interracial Love? By Kathleen Collins and absolutely loved it. I would highly recommend it.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

[Cante Tenza Win]

I'll be reading Last Standing Woman. Winona is my idol.

[Katie]

Grace wrote: "Would "The Opposite of Loneliness" by Marina Keegan work for this? It's got both fiction & non-fiction stories."

I think it would, and it is a really excellent read!

[Melinda]

Samantha wrote: "No One Belongs Here More Than You By Miranda July is a really good one if anyone is still looking... I read it a couple years ago and really loved it."

I loved this one! Read the stories in order for the best bang!

[Lindsey]

I've started In the Country: Stories by Mia Alvar, and I'm enjoying it! It's an interesting collection about a variety of Filipino men and women, many of whom have immigrated to a different country. So it could work for Task #5, too.

[Yrinsyde]

I read the Maeve Binchy Treasury last month - a collection of her short stories. I loved it!

[Ashley]

I'm working on this right now with Gutshot. Not gonna lie - it's pretty trippy!

[Bonnie G.]

Katie wrote: "Chris wrote: "The Safety of Objects by A.M. Homes. I read it earlier this year. Terrific, disturbing stuff."

Oo! I will definitely be reading this one."

All of Homes' stuff is messed up, but brilliant. I really love her work.

[Teresa]

Priyam, I'd say yes because each woman's monologue is a small story. I'm basing my answer on the performance I saw, as I haven't actually read the book.

[Alex Can Read]

I read Rise: A Newsflesh Collection by Mira Grant for this prompt. This is a collection of novellas and short stories she's written for her Newsflesh universe. I do not recommend it if you haven't read the Newsflesh series, but it's a wonderful series, and worth jumping into if you like communication theory, political drama and zombies.

[Maggie]

I love short stories by Edith pearlman, Honeydew was great.

[Anneke]

Lindsey wrote: "I've started In the Country: Stories by Mia Alvar, and I'm enjoying it! It's an interesting collection about a variety of Filipino men and women, many of whom have immigrated to a d..."

I really enjoyed this book! Such a diverse stories, but yet a distinctive voice....

[Diana]

I'm reading Both Ways is the Only Way I Want It by Maile Meloy.

Titles I've read and recommend include:

- What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours by Helen Oyeyemi
- Everything That Rises Must Converge by Flannery O'Connor
- A Good Man Is Hard to Find and Other Stories by Flannery O'Connor
- American Housewife by Helen Ellis
- No One Belong Here More Than You by Miranda July

[[deleted user]]

Katie wrote: "I'm going to read either Whatever Happened to Interracial Love?: Stories, Interpreter of Maladies, or Difficult Women for this one."

Just finished Interpreter of Maladies and I really enjoyed it. The characters are quite approachable, and the stories translate across cultures. It won the Pulitzer also. If you're waffling, here's a vote for Lahiri.

[[deleted user]]

Ritika wrote: "I would recommend The Thing Around Your Neck or Interpreter of Maladies or In the Country. Have read and loved them. I'm going to try some [author:Alice M..."

I second Interpreter of Maladies

[Tara]

It says "by a woman," but would a collection of stories by multiple women work? I own and have been planning to read A Tyranny of Petticoats.

[[deleted user]]

Here's my review of Interpreter of Maladies: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Lianne]

I'm looking at this one and there is so much choice. There is Stone Mattress: Nine Tales by Margaret Atwood, or Kabu Kabu by Nnedi Okorafor, or What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours by Helen Oyeyemi or Get in Trouble by Kelly Link.

So many options, so little time...

[Crystal]

I'm reading Thus Were Their Faces: Selected Short Stories by Silvino OCampo, an Argentinian writer, who passed away in the 70s. It's gorgeous and strange and I'm so glad I'm reading it.

[Crystal]

I also second the Oyeyemi What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours. In fact, Oyeyemi wrote the forward to the Ocampo book I just mentioned. It's so clear that she was an inspiration for her.

[Ashley]

Lianne wrote: "So many options, so little time..."

Amen, sister!

[Heather]

I'm half-way through A Manual for Cleaning Women: Selected Stories and I'd highly recommend it.

[Darlene]

I am reading Paris for One and Other Stories by Jojo Moyes. I wasn't sure if it had to be by one or multiple women, so I went with just one

[Kirsten]

Sounds like it fits, Darlene! I really liked that collection. It was my first by JoJo Moyes.

[Darlene]

Kirsten *I support diversity in my reading and my world!" wrote: "Sounds like it fits, Darlene! I really liked that collection. It was my first by JoJo Moyes."
I'm enjoying it! I have read Me Before You and After You and loved them both.

[Suzanne]

I decided on The Thing Around Your Neck by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

[Julia]

I think my next book will be Get in Trouble by Kelly Link. I have read and enjoyed Kelly Link's stories in anthologies of several authors, but I've never read only her stories. I believe she only writes short stories.

[Ashley]

Ashley wrote: "I'm working on this right now with Gutshot. Not gonna lie - it's pretty trippy!"

I have abandoned this book - it is sooooo not working for me. Reading through the feed to get some new ideas; is anyone really loving a collection they're reading? I'd like to hear about it!

[Courtney]

I just finished reading Almost Famous Women: Stories. I thought the way that Megan Bergman told the stories of women who are so different from myself. I think that by far my favorite story was 'The Autobiography of Allegra Byron'. I just can't get her story out of my head. I'm really glad I chose 'Almost Famous Women' for my book in this category. 3 down, 21 to go!

[Sonia]

I just startedEnglish Lessons & Other Stories which has been on my TBR list for far too long. Enjoying it so far.

[Emily]

Yes. Stories are fiction which are different than essays. See the description of Gay's..."

Just finished Difficult Women this morning. What did you think?

[Barbara]

As a Canadian I love Atwood and Munro but I think I will try a Canadian author who is new to me Katherine Fawcett The Little Washer of Sorrows. Sounds interesting!

[Katy]

I just read Pond by Claire-Louise Bennet. I'd say stories or vignettes. Lyrical and lovely.

[Stephanie]

I read 99 Stories of God by Joy Williams. A peculiar, quick read.

[Yrinsyde]

I finished reading Annie Proulx's short story collection a few days ago. Close Range: Brokeback Mountain and other Stories is great - raw stories about hard living in a harsh environment. The stories are all set in Wyoming in different areas of the state. It might even work for someone's 100 miles challenge.

[Elyse]

I'm going to read Men of the Otherworld because it doesn't have to be nonfiction! And I've been trying to get to it for years.

[Patty]

I've done some Googling and have found a few winners!

https://www.bustle.com/articles/36016...


https://www.bustle.com/articles/22436...


https://www.bustle.com/articles/3584-...

http://lithub.com/american-women-mast...

[Andy]

I just started A Manual for Cleaning Women: Selected Stories by Lucia Berlin. It is highly recommended.

[Bill]

As did a few other contributors here, I read Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri. I'm not usually a fan of short stories, but I really enjoyed this collection -- I was quickly drawn into each story. The sense of departure, displacement, and sometimes isolation in each story was quite emotional at times, but provided a common thread throughout the very different narratives.

[Leanne]

I read "Difficult Women" by Roxane Gay for this one - I thoroughly enjoyed this, it's filled with flawed characters making their way in the world. I think a lot of writers struggle to create characters who are just human to the very core, but Roxane Gay does an amazing job.

[Viv]

I've just read Sisters of the Revolution: A Feminist Speculative Fiction Anthology. Although it's not a collection of stories written by "a" woman, all the authors are women, so I think it's in the spirit of the task :-). I would highly recommend it for fans of sci-fi & fantasy.

[Bonnie G.]

I am starting 13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl. They are interlinked stories, but I think that works.