Favorite Short Fiction

List of the Month
February 2022 (see all)
Description
In honor of February's status as the shortest month of the year, our List of the Month is devoted to Favorite Short Fiction, which can include: individual short stories, anthologies (multiple authors), short story collections (single author), or novellas (100 pages or less). If members are listing one specific story, contained in a larger collection but not published separately, and not available as a separate work page on LibraryThing, the collection can be added, and the specific story can be indicated in the Explanations field. Please only downvote titles if the book does not fit the theme.
1
6,428 members
272 reviews
4.2
2
1,422 members
54 reviews
4
3
13,227 members
282 reviews
4.1
9 Members
charl08, terran, CarltonC, ahef1963, steller0707, sqr3cls3, Tosta, monicamargolis, -Pia-,Tess_W
Explanations
Tess_W : It is 208 pages in length.
sqr3cls3: Is it possible to remove a thumbs down given for a misunderstanding? This is a collection of short stories, not one of her novels, so page numbers shouldn't apply.
4
2,615 members
54 reviews
4
8 Members
rosalita, Tess_W, ahef1963, AbigailAdams26, dianeham, jkonecki, steller0707, Sofyyyy21
Explanations
AbigailAdams26: Just a lovely holiday tale, about love and the true nature of giving and receiving gifts.
5
6,405 members
162 reviews
4
6
18,438 members
275 reviews
4.1
7
4,690 members
110 reviews
4.1
6 Members
rosalita, mstrust, sturlington, steller0707, MarianBengal, Sofyyyy21
Explanations
sturlington: I decided to list those stories that have remained with me all my life, in this case, the title story.
8
44,502 members
723 reviews
3.9
9
4,513 members
200 reviews
4
10
8,485 members
487 reviews
4.1
6 Members
terran, elenchus, souloftherose, KatyBee, Brandy1411, MarianBengal
Explanations
elenchus: Each of the first 4 novellas in the Murderbot Diaries describes a self-contained story arc, and they're great fun, but it's the overarching discovery of SecUnit that compels me to read the next installment.
11
9,670 members
90 reviews
3.8
5 Members
hipdeep, sturlington, madhatter22, tina1969, sdkennedy
Explanations
sturlington: I think this collection represents the epitome of King's short stories, a great mix of weird, trippy, scary, moody, and wtf.
12
8,832 members
133 reviews
½ 4.4
13
10,514 members
130 reviews
3.8
14
900 members
9 reviews
½ 4.5
15
6,526 members
136 reviews
3.8
4 Members
hipdeep, CarltonC, elenchus, ManWithAnAgenda
Explanations
elenchus: One of the original examples of linked stories in my reading life, and still a favourite.
16
1,823 members
60 reviews
4.2
17
3,562 members
295 reviews
3.8
19
3,426 members
122 reviews
3.9
3 Members
mstrust, AbigailAdams26, -Pia-
Explanations
AbigailAdams26: A story that makes me both weep and laugh.
20
208 members
13 reviews
4.2
21
3,669 members
136 reviews
3.8
22
4,581 members
136 reviews
3.9
3 Members
rarm, Heather39, Maddz
23
2,740 members
40 reviews
3.9
24
1,362 members
26 reviews
4.1
25
2,207 members
76 reviews
4.2
26
2,494 members
102 reviews
3.8
27
710 members
22 reviews
4.1
2 Members
lmbix, msjudy
28
405 members
½ 3.5
2 Members
dara85, AXC23
Explanations
dara85: My favorite story was Love on the First Bounce
29
6,337 members
138 reviews
½ 3.7
30
3,940 members
165 reviews
4.1
2 Members
sturlington, TheLOFT
Explanations
sturlington: A story I have read many times and has a different meaning for me each time I read it.
31
1,797 members
16 reviews
4.1
32
16,415 members
413 reviews
4.2
2 Members
susanbooks, Tess_W
Explanations
Tess_W: Favorites: On the Rainy River and The Lives of the Dead
33
3,320 members
103 reviews
½ 3.7
34
1,540 members
113 reviews
½ 4.4
2 Members
karenb, anglemark
35
964 members
21 reviews
½ 4.3
2 Members
elenchus, igorken
Explanations
elenchus: A highly impressive selection of known and not-so-known Weird short fiction, from all over the globe, and over 100 years of writing.
36
893 members
59 reviews
½ 3.7
2 Members
al.vick, Red-Hawk
37
142 members
3 reviews
4.1
2 Members
cornerhouse, c_why
38
17,404 members
134 reviews
4.2
3 Members
mstrust, merrystar, AbigailAdams26,
Explanations
AbigailAdams26: I have loved fairy-tales since I was a young girl, and have read the complete Grimm many times through.
39
10,827 members
122 reviews
3.8
2 Members
Airycat, tina1969
40
1,375 members
46 reviews
½ 4.3
41
765 members
46 reviews
4.1
2 Members
tardis, Lorekeeper
42
210 members
2 reviews
4
43
3,827 members
75 reviews
3.9
2 Members
deldevries, AXC23
44
2,686 members
69 reviews
4.2
45
2,165 members
54 reviews
4.1
2 Members
EMS_24, perennialreader
Explanations
perennialreader: You can change your part of the world with a simple but repeated action.
46
12,724 members
122 reviews
4.1
2 Members
lmbix, vwinsloe
47
579 members
19 reviews
4.1
2 Members
cornerhouse, Morphidae
Explanations
Morphidae: When I picked this collection up, I wasn't expecting much. I had read one other book by Butler, Kindred, and thought it was "okay." Then I was blown away by these stories. I don't know if it was the mood I was in or if they really were that good - ever been too afraid to reread something because you're afraid it wasn't as good as you thought it was? Yeah, that's me. However, it's been seven years. It's time...
48
1,212 members
24 reviews
½ 4.3
2 Members
c_why, -pilgrim-
49
3,604 members
65 reviews
4.2
50
2,470 members
114 reviews
½ 3.5
2 Members
msjudy, TheReadingReindeer
Explanations
TheReadingReindeer: Collection of short stories on various themes, but all including a typewriter.
51
310 members
7 reviews
4.1
2 Members
yoyogod, Maddz
52
2,449 members
20 reviews
3.8
2 Members
AbigailAdams26, dianeham
Explanations
AbigailAdams26: Specific story: "Wilderness Tips." A haunting tale I have never forgotten.
53
1,165 members
32 reviews
4
2 Members
lmbix, msjudy
54
551 members
17 reviews
4
55
531 members
6 reviews
4.2
56
10,127 members
175 reviews
4
2 Members
brewergirl, sturlington
Explanations
sturlington: An altogether wonderful collection of haunting and melancholy stories. An elegy for the world.
57
922 members
40 reviews
½ 4.3
2 Members
sturlington, Red-Hawk
Explanations
sturlington: I think about this story often and read it at least once a year.
58
304 members
13 reviews
4.1
59
17,086 members
311 reviews
4
2 Members
merrystar, msjudy
60
1,619 members
39 reviews
3.9
2 Members
hipdeep, Morphidae
61
307 members
27 reviews
4.1
2 Members
Aquila, paradoxosalpha
Explanations
paradoxosalpha: Imaginative tales featuring moral dilemmas of characters in transformed worlds, along with rich veins of emotion.
62
152 members
6 reviews
3.9
2 Members
rosalita, Eagle13
63
4,457 members
106 reviews
4
2 Members
brewergirl, elenchus
Explanations
elenchus: It's not commonly remarked, but this collection is linked by a character (The Tall Man in the Blue Suit) who mostly stays in the wings, if he appears in the story at all. But the original collection was subtitled, "Or, The Adventures of James Harris". Following the thread of this suit through the stories adds another dimension to each tale.
64
3,410 members
97 reviews
4.2
2 Members
Eagle13, jr33rpm
65
10,119 members
322 reviews
4.1
66
9,066 members
77 reviews
½ 3.7
Member
tina1969
67
7,878 members
72 reviews
4
68
7,609 members
88 reviews
½ 4.4
69
3,634 members
42 reviews
3.9
70
2,785 members
67 reviews
½ 3.6
71
2,206 members
76 reviews
4.1
Member
charl08
72
1,790 members
37 reviews
½ 3.6
Member
skid0612
Explanations
skid0612: An absolutely wonderful novella from the writer of Perfume.
73
1,451 members
28 reviews
4.1
Member
reader517
74
1,219 members
53 reviews
4
Member
Radtosan
75
1,126 members
24 reviews
½ 3.7
Member
sqr3cls3
76
916 members
25 reviews
½ 4.3
77
624 members
5 reviews
4
78
547 members
13 reviews
3.2
Member
mclane
79
531 members
11 reviews
4.1
80
481 members
17 reviews
4.1
Member
jayceebee
81
480 members
28 reviews
4.2
Member
Heather39
82
458 members
3 reviews
3.9
Member
Eagle13
83
429 members
5 reviews
3.9
Member
elenchus
Explanations
elenchus: Linked stories, but primarily in being part of Cabell's invented Poictesme. Each can be enjoyed without being familiar with Cabell's masterwork, the 18-volume Biography of Manuel, and perhaps a good introduction to it, too.
84
408 members
10 reviews
½ 3.5
Member
cbl_tn
85
376 members
17 reviews
4.1
Member
TheReadingReindeer
Explanations
TheReadingReindeer: I really enjoyed this collection of short stories and found them well written.
86
358 members
10 reviews
½ 4.4
Member
merrystar
87
240 members
7 reviews
½ 3.7
Member
EMS_24
88
206 members
5 reviews
½ 4.5
Member
paradoxosalpha
Explanations
paradoxosalpha: The best short fiction by a master of lapidary dark fantasy
89
by Test
200 members
11 reviews
½ 3.4
Member
nnah
90
184 members
7 reviews
½ 3.6
Member
Cora-R
91
130 members
1 review
½ 4.4
Member
perennialreader
Explanations
perennialreader: These protagonists are, for the most part, outsiders looking in at more traditional families and their celebrations. My favorite is Silver Packages.
92
122 members
7 reviews
4.2
Member
yoyogod
93
81 members
2 reviews
3.9
Member
Kristelh
94
73 members
3 reviews
½ 3.5
95
38 members
2 reviews
4.1
Member
Maddz
96
33 members
2 reviews
4.1
Member
-pilgrim-
97
28 members
4
Member
hfglen
98
18 members
4
Member
jr33rpm
99
8 members
1 review
½ 3.5
Member
markhopp
100
Member
tardis
Explanations
tardis: On Spec is a fine magazine of short (and mostly Canadian) spec fic, poetry, etc. This collection contains some of my favourite stories, including the eponymous Casserole Diplomacy. Full disclosure: I was art director for them for 5 years and the eds are all good friends.