2021 Short Story Planning & Suggestions

[Samantha, Cajun Literary Belle]

Short Story Schedule for 2021:

January -- The Garden Party and Other Stories by Katherine Mansfield ~ 159 pages

February -- Ward No. 6 by Anton Chekhov ~ 72 pages AND The Overcoat by Nikolai Gogol ~ 57 pages

March -- To Build a Fire and Other Stories by Jack London ~ 480 pages

April -- Death in Midsummer and Other Stories by Yukio Mishima ~ 192 pages

May -- The Circus in the Attic and Other Stories by Robert Penn Warren ~ 276 pages

June -- Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell ~ 257 pages

July -- The Snows of Kilimanjaro and Other Stories by Ernest Hemingway ~ 144 pages

August -- The Open Window and Other Short Stories by Saki ~ 223 pages

September -- Elizabeth and Her German Garden by Elizabeth von Arnim ~ 207 pages

October -- Malgudi Days by R.K. Narayan ~ 264 pages

November -- Lolly Willowes by Sylvia Townsend Warner ~ 222 pages

December -- The Horla by Guy de Maupassant ~ 79 pages AND... A Merry Christmas and Other Christmas Stories by Louisa May Alcott

Note: For scheduling, consideration was given for length of books and variety in diversity of authors. December will also feature a Christmas themed title with a poll coming soon!

For titles containing multiple short stories, please do not feel obligated to read the entire collection. If you want to participate by only reading the title story in the collection, that is perfectly fine! :)

(Planning that helped form schedule below.)
Welcome to old and new members and to any visitors! For those who may not recognize who I am, a little introduction. My name is Samantha, and I'm from southeastern Louisiana. Books are my first love, which is part of how I came to work in a public library last year in the spring. (Yes, I love my job. No, we do not read books all day, but how fun it would be if we could!) Throughout school and college I did not read as many classics as I would have liked, so in August of 2017 I found and joined NTLTRC.

In 2021 we will venture into short story classics. Sometimes maybe we want to read but don't have time or aren't in the mood for a long book. How about a short story instead that you could read in 1-3 sittings?

As pulled from the group's "fundamentals" page: Edgar Allan Poe described the proper length of a short story by saying it had to be something readable in a single sitting. To make things easier for NTLTRC anything under 250 pages we just call Short. Some will read it in a week, some just hours.

What short stories would you like to possibly read with the group next year? Now is the time to offer your suggestions as we plan for the new year. Genre short stories are welcome; however, please keep in mind those genre suggestions will be diverted to the respective genre moderator for consideration and may not stay as possible group reads for 2021 short story classics.

Reminder: Generally, reads for NTLTRC must be 50 years or older.

NOTE: PLEASE consider your suggestion wisely. ONLY ONE suggestion per genre / topic for each member will be considered. This will allow a wider variety of suggestions from all Members interested. The Member Wish List threads will close on October 30th.

Suggestions:
Lolly Willowes by Sylvia Townsend Warner -- Kathy. Second -- Samantha. Third -- Jennifer.

The Snows of Kilimanjaro and Other Stories by Ernest Hemingway -- Lesle. Second -- Kathy. Third -- Jacquie. Fourth -- Shaina.

Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell -- Gilbert. Second -- Jacquie. Third -- Shaina. Fourth -- Lesle.

Elizabeth and Her German Garden by Elizabeth von Arnim -- Georgina. Second -- Jacquie.

Death in Midsummer and Other Stories by Yukio Mishima -- Jazzy. Second -- Jesus. Third -- Jacquie. Fourth -- Jennifer.

To Build a Fire and Other Stories by Jack London -- requested during experiment by multiple members. Seconded here by -- Jacquie & Georgina.

The Horla by Guy de Maupassant -- Rosemarie. Second -- Jazzy. Third -- Georgina. Fourth -- Jennifer.

The Garden Party and Other Stories by Katherine Mansfield -- Piyangie. A solid choice! 6 people have voiced agreement with this book. Second -- Nidhi. Third -- Brenda. Fourth -- Shaina. Fifth -- Trisha. Sixth -- Jennifer.

The Circus in the Attic and Other Stories by Robert Penn Warren -- Samantha. Second -- Lesle.

Ward No. 6 by Anton Chekhov -- Jennifer. Second -- Samantha.

The Wolves of Cernogratz or The Open Window and Other Short Stories by Saki -- Bernard (suggested Saki). Second -- Kathy. Third -- Rosemarie (suggested titles).

Malgudi Days by R.K. Narayan -- Shaina. Second -- Samantha. Third -- Lesle.

The Overcoat by Nikolai Gogol -- Trisha.



Holiday titles to vote for (might go to a poll):
A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas

The Greatest Gift: A Christmas Tale by Philip Van Doren Stern

The Night Before Christmas by Nikolai Gogol (NOT the traditional story most Americans and others grow up with!) Second -- Kathy.

A Merry Christmas and Other Christmas Stories by Louisa May Alcott Second -- Shaina.

Christmas at Thompson Hall and Other Christmas Stories by Anthony Trollope

A Christmas Memory, One Christmas, & The Thanksgiving Visitor by Truman Capote

(Lesle seconds any Christmas story.)

[Trisha]

Thank you for this, Samantha - it’s a great idea.

[Samantha, Cajun Literary Belle]

Thanks, Trisha, but I can’t take much credit. Lesle had the idea and I decided to run with it. Hopefully we get plenty short story suggestions for next year.

[Kathy]

I'd like to read Lolly Willowes by Sylvia Townsend Warner. It was published in 1926 and has 222 pages.

[Samantha, Cajun Literary Belle]

That sounds like an interesting story, Kathy! I’ll second it myself. I like stories of women finding their places in the world. Curious if anyone else is interested, too.

[Lesle, Appalachain Bibliophile]

I would like to suggest The Snows of Kilimanjaro and Other Storiesby Ernest Hemingway 1936 (144 pages)

[Gilbert]

How about Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell 1853 (194 pages)

[Georgina]

Can I suggest Elizabeth and Her German Garden by Elizabeth von Arnim 1898 (207 pages)

[Kathy]

I’ll second The Snows of Kilimanjaro.

[Jacquie]

I second The Snows of Kilimanjaro and Other Stories by Ernest Hemingway

Thank you! Great idea to add short stories!

[Jacquie]

Oh, I'm too slow typing on this iPad! I will second Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell

[Shaina]

Yay! I happy to see short stories added to our reading. I will second Cranford and The Snows of Kilimanjaro.

I would like to recommend There Will Come Soft Rains by Ray Bradbury.

[Jazzy]

Death in Midsummer and Other Stories (1953) - Yukio Mishima

A book of remarkable stories 96pp. Or we could just read the first one.

[Jesus]

I second Death in Midsummer and Other Stories. I have already read some of Mishima's short stories and I really enjoyed them.

[Bernard]

I second the Bradbury. And some by Saki?

[Samantha, Cajun Literary Belle]

A lot of great suggestions already! With work and the coming hurricane, I've been busy this week but will organize all the suggestions and seconds hopefully later today. :)

[Lesle, Appalachain Bibliophile]

A suggestion from the Experiment thread:
Jack London's To Build A Fire 1902 / 35 pages

or To Build a Fire and Other Stories

[Jacquie]

I second Jack London To Build a Fire.

The full "and other stories" is 480 pages so not sure if it count or more than one short story but I definitely would read them all.

[Georgina]

I’ll third Jack London

[Lesle, Appalachain Bibliophile]

Jacquie wrote: "I second Jack London To Build a Fire.

The full "and other stories" is 480 pages so not sure if it count or more than one short story but I definitely would read them all."

It is so full of shorts that I thought it was worth mentioning.

[Jacquie]

Lesle wrote: "Jacquie wrote: "I second Jack London To Build a Fire.

The full "and other stories" is 480 pages so not sure if it count or more than one short story but I definitely would read them all."

It is ..."


i agree! i will definitely read the full book. so glad you suggested it.

[Samantha, Cajun Literary Belle]

Georgina, Usually when I read a short story it tends to be a part of a collection of short stories by that author or an anthology by various authors. You’ll have the choice to read a book that contains a story we use and has several stories in it if you’d like, if but we will likely focus on what story. However, if a collection is what the group or a member personally reads, you are welcome to discuss other stories in the book as long as you refrain from using spoilers (or block them out).

[Samantha, Cajun Literary Belle]

As long as I don’t lose power, I’ll try to go through these suggestions today. Great contributions, everyone. Those who are new to the thread or just monitoring it, please feel free to give your own suggestion.

[Jazzy]

Everything on here is American or British except the Mishima, would someone please nominate some more diverse titles?

[Kathy]

I’ll second Saki.

[Rosemarie, Northern Roaming Scholar]

I will suggest The Horla by Guy de Maupassant. It's on the spooky side and I would enjoy reading it with the group.
I prefer it to his more famous The Necklace, which is so cynical.

[Georgina]

Hi, no problem Samantha, I’m just going through my bookshelves and trying to fit ones I’d like to read into the categories. I’ll have another look :)

[Jazzy]

Rosemarie wrote: "I will suggest The Horla by Guy de Maupassant. It's on the spooky side and I would enjoy reading it with the group.
I prefer it to his more famous The Necklace, which is..."

I'll second this.

[Georgina]

And I’ll second The Horla, that sounds interesting

[Piyangie, Classical Princess]

Can I suggest The Garden Party and Other Stories by Katherine Mansfield. I've never read her.

[Nidhi]

The Garden Party is very nice. I have read some of her stories, they are mostly about women and about life.

[Brenda]

I'll second The Garden Party. I've also never read her and have wanted to. Thanks Piyangie for suggesting this!

[Piyangie, Classical Princess]

Brenda wrote: "I'll second The Garden Party. I've also never read her and have wanted to. Thanks Piyangie for suggesting this!"

Thanks for the second, Benda.

[Jazzy]

75p/97cents

Treat yourself.

Katherine Mansfield: The Complete Collection

[Rosemarie, Northern Roaming Scholar]

Thanks for seconding, Jazzy and Georgina.

[Jazzy]

You're most welcome! Wouldn't you like to 2nd/3rd Mashima~?

[Shaina]

I too second The Garden Party

[Samantha, Cajun Literary Belle]

Bernard wrote: "I second the Bradbury. And some by Saki?"

Bernard, is there a specific title by Saki you would like to suggest for the group?

[Trisha]

Yes, I’d also like to read The Garden Party and Other Stories.

[Samantha, Cajun Literary Belle]

For my own suggestion I want to put forth The Circus in the Attic and Other Stories by Robert Penn Warren.

(DIsclaimer: I do have other authors that are not American with collections of short stories on my to-read shelf, but many of them fall under different genres or topics.)

[Piyangie, Classical Princess]

Thanks, Nidhi, Shaina, and Trisha.

[Lesle, Appalachain Bibliophile]

Samantha wrote: "The Circus in the Attic and Other Stories by Robert Penn Warren...."

I will look into this after work today, I like the title!

[Jacquie]

I will third Death in Midsummer and Other Stories by Yukio Mishima

and

i will second Elizabeth and Her German Garden by Elizabeth von Arnim

thank you!

[Lesle, Appalachain Bibliophile]

Samantha wrote: "For my own suggestion I want to put forth The Circus in the Attic and Other Stories by Robert Penn Warren..."

I would like to second this suggestion!

[Samantha, Cajun Literary Belle]

Lesle wrote: "Samantha wrote: "For my own suggestion I want to put forth The Circus in the Attic and Other Stories by Robert Penn Warren..."

I would like to second this suggestion!"

Thanks for the second, Lesle!

[Shaina]

Samantha, as my suggestion has been moved to sci fi can I suggest something else?

[Samantha, Cajun Literary Belle]

Absolutely, Shaina! That’s very fair. Feel free to propose another title here.

[Shaina]

Thank you, Samantha. I would like to nominate A Good Man is Hard to Find and Other Stories by Flannery O'Connor. First published in 1955.

[Jazzy]

Jacquie wrote: "I will third Death in Midsummer and Other Stories by Yukio Mishima

Thank you Jacquie! A big hug :)

[Samantha, Cajun Literary Belle]

Updated as of 8pm CDT 10/12/2020.