Short and to the Point.

Posted on October 12th, 2006 by Deb

Booking Through Thursday

  1. Do you read short stories?
  2. Why or why not?
  3. What do you like and dislike about short stories?

The short answer is no, I do not read short stories.

The slightly longer one is that, of course, there have been short stories that I have read. I even wrote one that I (unsuccessfully) tried to get published. But as a rule, if I’m going to immerse myself in a character or a story, I want to spend as much time with them as possible.

It’s one of the reasons I like series, so much. The kind that basically tell one long story, just broken into separate volumes. Like the Lymond Chronicles (which, if you’re still at all interested, read this). Or Lord of the Rings. Any that has a distinct beginning, middle, and end, even if they are spread out throughout multiple volumes. (As opposed, you understand, to the kinds of series where the author just keeps writing books with the same characters, advancing their story, perhaps, from book to book, but where each volume is mostly self-contained, a la Nancy Drew.)

Really, the more time I can spend with great characters, fascinating stories, and wonderful writing, the better. Short stories are just so . . short

Tags: Reading // 6 Comments »

6 Responses to “Short and to the Point.”

  1. Carol // Oct 12, 2006 at 9:07 pm

    I feel the same way. Have you read the David Eddings series? He has a couple of them.

  2. Lorette // Oct 13, 2006 at 2:54 am

    I feel the same way about short stories. I think I like them, but I like the longest novels or multinovel series the best. I’m off to read Lymond again. You’ve convinced me.

  3. CindyCindy // Oct 13, 2006 at 9:55 am

    I agree, but I have also found writing sytles that I fell in love with (or not) through short stories. I had never read Faulkner until The Barn Burning. Gripped me and held me through all his novels. On the other hand, Flannery O’Connor short stories pretty much burned me on her for the novels. How’s Chappy?

  4. Laura // Oct 13, 2006 at 1:16 pm

    I’ve been so busy with the red sweater thing that I haven’t answered the questions in my own post yet! LOL But basically, though it sounds like I’ve read more of them than you, I feel the same way about short stories. They’re so short! ;-)

  5. Beth S. // Oct 13, 2006 at 2:08 pm

    Short stories are usually unsatisfying for me, too. Not enough to chew on. But a series is like a relationship

    A couple series I’ve enjoyed (besides the obvious LOTR, HP, etc): A Dance to the Music of Time by Anthony Powell (many short novels, but published in 4 big volumes) and the Frederica Potter books by A.S. Byatt (begins with _The Virgin in the Garden_.) If you haven’t read them, I recommend them very highly. And for a bit of (very very British) satire, there’s the Mapp and Lucia books by E.F. Benson… delightfully bitchy stuff, like P.G. Wodehouse if he had a mean streak.

  6. Linda Gillard // Oct 14, 2006 at 1:35 am

    Thanks Chappysmom for the link to my piece about The Lymond Chronicles. I don’t like short stories either but I’ve practically given up reading anything other than Dorothy Dunnett in order to avoid a big Disappointment Factor. DD did actually write a short story about St Kilda but it doesn’t feature Francis Crawford, so I’m not sure I could stay the distance.

    Best to all from a rainy Isle of Skye.

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