I usually read about 100 plus books a year but in 2008, only 87. The reason? Short stories. Never have I read so many. I read them in magazines, text books, old collections, everywhere. I have a few CD's to listen to while I am driving, a great way to enjoy short stories.
I especially enjoy the literary magazines Prairie Fire, Room Magazine and the New Quarterly. Right now I am reading and loving the latest issue of Brick and CNQ (Canadian Notes and Queries).
What is amazing about short stories is that you can read them again and again. You may not reread an entire novel but a beloved short story gives renewed pleasure and opens up new doors. Today I reread two stories that I first read years ago. I found William Faulkner's A Rose for Emily, just as creepy as ever. and James Joyce's Araby, the plight of a love-struck young boy who wants to buy his beloved some sort of token at the bazaar, is still moving in a very true way.
A good short story does that - opens a door to a new reality, just a glimpse perhaps but you can come back later and find the reality has changed a bit, often in an interesting way.
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