Want to know the best way to stuff your vacation full of as many wonderful stories as possible? Spend your summer reading a few of the new short story collections I've picked out for you on this list. Each of these collections packs plenty of great stories, and I've got 25 of them for you to choose from below.
I'm a huge proponent of short fiction, particularly for book-lovers who find that their daily lives get in the way of their reading time. A novel might take you weeks to finish, depending on how demanding your work schedule is, but a short story can be squeezed into the few minutes you have to read each day. You can experience a full narrative, from beginning to end, every day. Pretty snazzy, huh?
Short fiction also gives you the chance to get a taste for a new author you may have been wanting to a read for a long time. If you like a few of an author's short stories, you'll probably want to give their novels a try.
Check out the 25 new short story collections you should read this summer below — because warm weather season is the best time to read short fiction.
'Mouthful of Birds' by Samanta Schweblin
From Fever Dream author Samanta Schweblin comes this collection of short fiction that explores the borderline between reality and surreality.
'Divided Loyalties' by Nilofar Shidmehr
In this series of stories about women in Iran and the Iranian diaspora, Nilofar Shidmehr examines the lives of women and girls in the 25 years following the Islamic Revolution.
'New Suns: Original Speculative Fiction by People of Color,' edited by Nisi Shawl
Everfair author Nisi Shawl edits this collection of fantasy and science fiction stories from authors of color. You can't go wrong with this anthology, which features stories from Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Signal to Noise), Indrapramit Das (The Devourers), and Rebecca Roanhorse (Trail of Lightning).
'Look How Happy I'm Making You' by Polly Rosenwaike (3/19)
In her debut collection of short fiction, Polly Rosenwaike explores the uncertainty of motherhood for those who can't attain it, don't know if they want it, and aren't sure if they can handle it.
'Thirteen Months of Sunrise' by Rania Mamoun
Rania Mamoud examines life in contemporary, urban Sudan in these short stories, which focus on women and girls living in the recently war-divided country.
'Sing to It' by Amy Hempel
The author's first new collection in more than a decade, Sing to It contains 15 stories of the human experience, detailing the connections their characters share with other living creatures.
'That Time I Loved You' by Carrianne Leung
In her first short story collection, Carrianne Leung weaves narratives in and out of the lives of the people who have just moved into a new Toronto subdivision in the 1970s. A slim collection, That Time I Loved You makes for a quick read that will stay with you long after you turn the last page.
'Shut Up You're Pretty' by Téa Mutonji
From Congolese-Canadian author Téa Mutonji comes this debut collection of short fiction, which centers on serious questions of womanhood and identity in an increasingly uncertain time.
'Sabrina & Corina' by Kali Fajardo-Anstine
Set in Denver, Colorado and centered on indigenous Chicana women, Sabrina & Corina probes deftly into the lives of women and girls whose stories so often go untold.
'Vita' by Susan E. Lloy
This collection of short fiction revolves around death and its aftermath, asking the big questions about why people die and what falls to those who are left to survive them.
'Southern Lady Code' by Helen Ellis
From American Housewife author Helen Ellis comes Southern Lady Code, a hilarious essay collection chock-full of stranger-than-fiction stories about life in the American South.
'26 Knots' by Bindu Suresh
A collection of connected tales set in Montreal, Canada, Bindu Suresh's 26 Knots is a buzzy, new novel-in-stories that you won't want to miss out on reading.
'Echolocation' by Karen Hofmann
Another story collection that revolves around interpersonal connections, Karen Hofmann's Echolocation is a magical and surreal examination of humanity at the edges of experience.
'Honouring the Strength of Indian Women' by Vera Manuel
Collecting Vera Manuel's plays and essays, in addition to short stories, Honouring the Strength of Indian Women offers an essential crash-course in the work of the Ktunaxa-Secwepemc writer.
'Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage' by Bette Howland
A recipient of both the MacArthur and Guggenheim fellowships, the late Bette Howland was nearly forgotten as a writer until the early 2010s. Rediscover her work this summer in this newly published collection from A Public Space Books.
'Home Remedies' by Xuan Juliana Wang
In this highly anticipated collection, Xuan Julian Wang offers a glimpse into the lives of Chinese immigrants and their descendants living in the West.
'Orange World' by Karen Russell
In this collection from Swamplandia! author Karen Russell, which includes the New Yorker-published "Bog Girl," readers can enjoy weird and unsettling stories of life and love in the modern era.
'Let's Tell This Story Properly' by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
Moving in and around the lives of Ugandan-British immigrants and their descendants, Kintu author Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi's Manchester Happened takes a long look at community and belonging in a complex world.
'Send More Tourists...the Last Ones Were Delicious' by Tracey Waddleton (June 1)
A strange and sometimes unsettling collection, Tracey Waddleton's Send More Tourists... the Last Ones Were Delicious explores the weirdness of our everyday, hyper-visible lives.
'Frying Plantain' by Zalika Reid-Benta (June 4)
Another collection consisting of connected stories, Zalika Reid-Benta's Frying Plantain is a coming-of-age novel-in-stories that centers on Kara, a Jamaican-Canadian girl growing up between worlds in Toronto.
'Meteorites' by Julie Paul (June 4)
In this powerful collection, Julie Paul's characters wrestle with loss and recovery, reeling from setbacks and rolling with the punches.
'This Wicked Tongue' by Elise Levine (June 29)
Crossing the Atlantic to peer into the lives of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances, Elise Levine's This Wicked Tongue is a brief collection you won't want to put down.
'Unforeseen' by Molly Gloss (July 16)
Containing 16 short stories and including three never-before-published works, Molly Gloss's Unforeseen is a must-read new release from the award-winning author of Falling from Horses.
'Screen Tests' by Kate Zambreno (July 23)
Half short stories and half essays, Kate Zambreno's Screen Tests will hold fast to your attention as it weaves through the author's analyses of fame, art, and the passing of time.
'Everything Inside' by Edwidge Danticat (August 27)
Haitian-American novelist Edwidge Danticat forthcoming collection, Everything Inside, contains eight, poignant stories of people coming together and falling apart.
