Best Popular Short Stories: 15 Must-Reads in 2024
Finding the right book can be tough, but we’ve got you covered. We’ve handpicked 15 books with popular short stories that will keep you hooked from start to finish. We focused on variety, storytelling, and impact. Each book offers something unique, making it a great addition to any reader’s collection.
On this list:
- This is How You Lose Her
- Interpreter of Maladies
- Dubliners
- Nine Stories
- The Things They Carried
- Tenth of December
- Jesus’ Son
- Men Without Women
- Birds of America
- The Complete Stories
- The Lottery and Other Stories
- Her Body and Other Parties
- What We Talk About When We Talk About Love
- Nocturnes: Five Stories of Music and Nightfall
- The Best American Short Stories of the Century
15 This is How You Lose Her by Junot Díaz
Junot’s writing here is raw and real. You’ll feel like you’re in the room with him. The stories touch on love, heartbreak, and the immigrant experience.
14 Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri
A collection that won the Pulitzer Prize! Lahiri’s stories are superbly crafted, offering glimpses into the lives of Indian-American immigrants.
13 Dubliners by James Joyce
Joyce’s stories paint a vivid picture of Dublin in the early 20th century. His writing’s so smooth, you won’t realize you’re consuming literature.
12 Nine Stories by J.D. Salinger
Salinger, the guy who gave us ‘The Catcher in the Rye’, delivers here too. These stories are quirky, funny, and always thought-provoking.
11 The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien
A mix of fact and fiction, O’Brien’s stories about the Vietnam War are gripping. They’ll make you ponder the impact of war on soldiers.
10 Tenth of December by George Saunders
Saunders has a unique voice! His stories are a mix of humor, darkness, and humanity. You’ll laugh, cry, and think deeply.
9 Jesus’ Son by Denis Johnson
Johnson’s collection takes you on a wild ride through the lives of drifters and addicts. The writing is poetic and raw.
8 Men Without Women by Haruki Murakami
Murakami’s stories are surreal and emotional. This collection is about lonely men, and it’s filled with his usual magic realism.
7 Birds of America by Lorrie Moore
Moore’s stories are funny and melancholy. She has a knack for capturing the human condition in a way that’s both relatable and unique.
6 The Complete Stories by Flannery O’Connor
O’Connor’s stories are dark and twisted, yet deeply religious. They’re set in the South and full of rich, disturbing characters.
5 The Lottery and Other Stories by Shirley Jackson
Jackson’s stories will give you chills. ‘The Lottery’ is a classic for a reason. Her writing is eerie yet engrossing.
4 Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado
Machado’s stories blend horror, fantasy, and realism. They explore women’s lives and are both unsettling and beautiful.
3 What We Talk About When We Talk About Love by Raymond Carver
Carver’s minimalist style is on full display here. The stories are short, but they pack a punch. You’ll be thinking about them long after you’ve read them.
2 Nocturnes: Five Stories of Music and Nightfall by Kazuo Ishiguro
A Nobel Prize winner! Ishiguro’s stories here are about music and the passing of time. They are touching and beautifully written.
1 The Best American Short Stories of the Century by Edited by John Updike
- Genre: Fiction
- Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, Kindle
- Year released: 2000
- Pages: 864
- reason: Chosen as the best for its wide range of voices and styles. It’s a wonderful introduction to popular short stories from different eras and authors. Highly recommended for anyone wanting a comprehensive collection.
This one is like a buffet of the best. Edited by John Updike, it features stories from the biggest names in literature. You get a taste of everything!
