Short Stories for Book Clubs

Dear BookBrowsers,

Short stories remind me of the commercial for Almond Joy. Yes, sometimes you feel like a novel...sometimes you don't. An intricately crafted short story is a window into a fully developed world in a bite-sized nugget. When you're crunched for time they're also a quick escape and a great introduction to a writer's work.

The right sort of short stories can also be great for book clubs, particularly at busy times of the year. Pick a story, maybe two or three, and you've got an easy month of reading, capped by an engaging discussion.

Here are our recommendations for short story collections, with a reading guide for each, for when you crave that perfect treat. Pairing with chocolate is entirely optional.

(All books available in both paperback and ebook)

Redeployment by Phil Klay Published by Penguin Books There's a reason this set of short stories by an ex-Marine won the National Book Award. It brings home the horrors of war not through overly graphic imagery but by focusing on the humanity of those returning from the trenches, forever scarred emotionally and physically. Nobody other than those who serve can truly know what it must be like to be on the frontlines. This remarkable collection brings you close. More info & reading guide

Bark: Stories by Lorrie Moore Published by Vintage Love can be a heady thing but also exact a heavy emotional toll. The characters in this biting (sorry) collection wrestle with the complexities of long-term relationships finding humor in trying situations and even when love is on its last leg. The award-winning Lorrie Moore is in fine form here. More info & reading guide

The UnAmericans: Stories by Molly Antopol Published by W.W. Norton & Company America the Great Melting Pot? Nah, think of it as the Great Chunky Stew. The "you're either with us or against us" attitude doesn't hold much cachet with this set of Unamericans who are struggling with the behemoth's crushing embrace not just stateside as immigrants but also in areas around the world where the country's outsized footprint is no joke. A moving exploration of the definition of citizenship and what it means to really belong. More info & reading guide

Claire of the Sea Light by Edwidge Danticat Published by Vintage Haiti serves as anchor in Danticat's foray into short stories which explores the effects of transformative events on characters' lives. The sea is a constant, capricious presence here and the small waterside community of Ville Rose is breathed into life along with its colorful residents. A perfect peek into one of America's fine young novelists. More info & reading guide

Dear Life: Stories by Alice Munro Published by Vintage You really can't have a short story collection without including the master of the form, Alice Munro. This prolific Canadian writer distills the essence of a narrative into perfectly crystallized works of art. Granted quite a few of her stories are not really "short" but an immersion is completely recommended. An entire life span whiz by in a tale leaving you thirsty for more. More info & reading guide

Birds of a Lesser Paradise: Stories by Megan Mayhew Bergman Published by Scribner The brute force and majesty of nature is corralled impressively within the pages of this fierce debut collection. The spectacles it churns only reinforce our smallness in the universe even as the stories highlight humanity's incredible resilience through the most trying times. Even the wildest forces, these stories prove, can be distilled into one pitch-perfect story. More info & reading guide

Pulse: Stories by Julian Barnes Published by Knopf The award-winning Julian Barnes is most famous for his novels which explore relationships with a deeply introspective eye. These fine short stories, dusted as they are with touches of humor, showcase the lighter side of the author without compromising the detailed character studies he is so well regarded for. A perfect entry point to a larger oeuvre. More info & reading guide

You Know When the Men Are Gone by Siobhan Fallon Published by NAL War from the point of view of the battle-hardened is riveting enough but Fallon's unforgettable collection proves that those left behind shoulder a different kind of weighty burden. Beautifully exploring the lingering impacts of service on families and relationships, this debut illuminates the true costs of war, one that hardly ever gets its time in the spotlight.. More info & reading guide

The Thing Around Your Neck by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Published by Anchor Books The new immigrant narrative trope has been done way too often, you say? Well, Adichie's treatment of the dichotomy of displacement is dynamite. Dissecting the differences between the "here" and the "there," Adichie's native Nigeria and the powerful pull of home are as big a star as her incisive writing. This collection is a great sneak peek at the work of one of our most exciting young authors. More info & reading guide

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout Published by Random House Sure, there's an award-winning television series but you know the book's always better, right? As in Pulitzer Prize-winning better. Olive Kitteridge, a retired school teacher, features in this collection of interlinked stories which is dramatic not in its plotlines but in its many moments of insightful revelation. An affecting book. More info & reading guide