Have you discussed short stories with your book club before? They can be a great way to give people a break from reading an ongoing story. And let’s be honest, not everyone will finish the whole book by the next book club meeting, but if you’ve chosen a short story collection for the month, people can at least read a story or two and still follow along.
The book club-friendly short story collections I’ve listed below offer a glimpse into life during Jim Crow laws, Cambodian Americans adjusting to life in California, a new take on Agatha Christie, and life on the reservation.
Nibbles and sips: Frozen treat made from strawberry, chocolate and banana
I read somewhere that this goes viral in the summer and thought it sounded pretty easy considering how good it tastes. All you need is fresh strawberries, two ripe bananas and melted chocolate. Follow the instructions from @lindsay.keosayian on her Instagram.
Neighbours and other stories by Diane Oliver
Neighbours and other stories is the posthumously published collection by Diane Oliver, who died in an accident at the age of 23, “just a month before she would have graduated from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop.” Set in the American South, where Jim Crow laws apply, the collection follows the daily lives of African Americans.
Afterparties by Anthony Veasna So
The stories here can be extremely strange or endearing – or both! They follow the lives of Cambodian Americans, some of whom were born in the US and others who brought memories of the Khmer Rouge genocide with them. The refugees of By party adjust to a new life in California while their children try to develop their own identities and grapple with issues of sexuality, race and community.
Another collection by Veasna So: Songs on Endless Repeat: Essays and Outtakes.
Marple: Twelve new crime novels by various authors
It says “Agatha Christie” in big, bold letters, but it’s actually a collection of stories written by an amazing range of authors (from Leigh Bardugo to Alyssa Cole!) featuring Christie’s iconic detective Miss Marple. Each author gives their own interpretation of Miss Marple, while staying true to the character and constructing a great mystery.
Night of the Living Rez by Morgan Talty
Talty’s characters bring a Maine Penobscot community to life. A boy finds a cursed jar, a man finds his friend unconscious in the woods with his hair frozen by snow, and two friends attempt to rob the tribal museum for rootstocks. Together, these stories tell the story of a people surviving and struggling with tragedy with humor and insight.
Suggestions section
Book club things:
