At the moment, it seems the only spines of books I’ve been cracking involve how to use the direct or indirect method in chemistry, or how the respiration cycle works best with glucose instead of pyruvate. Let’s just say I miss reading for fun. Sadly, I doubt such a thing will happen before my Christmas break.

To ease the pain of my reading rut, I’ve started to form a list of what I plan to read the moment I get a break from the demands of college life. One involves short stories, the other novels, and the third is a collection of both but for a younger audience. As this will be a three-part blog, here is the first section, in no particular order, of short stories.

Part One

Short Stories:

  1. A Guide to Being Born, by Ramona Ausubel

This collection of short stories was recommended to me by my friend/coworker, Kelly. So far I’ve read the first story in this collection. Let’s just say it’s weird, like, really weird, but that kind of weird that’s incredibly wonderful and makes you wish you’re existence involved more weirdness. Does that make sense? (Oh well, if it doesn’t, then maybe you’re not weird enough. Ever think of that?)

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  1. The Color Master, by Aimee Bender

I can’t remember what made me grab this book in the first place (although, I believe it had a lot to do with the attention other Lemurians were giving it when it first came out), but I’ve been dying to try this author out for some time now. I mean it, as I write this sentence now, I can see her book on my desk––it looks so pretty. And while her other collection, Willful Creatures, didn’t necessarily make its way into my dorm room as of yet, you can bet I plan to read it just as much.

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  1. The Collected Stories of Lydia Davis, by Lydia Davis

I started reading this collection last year at the beginning of my freshman year, and continue to pick it up from time to time. (Personally, I pair this collection with Damien Rice’s album, O.) I’m a fan. You can also ask Adie, she has some mad love for this author.

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  1. St. Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves, by Karen Russell

UGH. It practically kills me how long this book has been on my to-read list. I feel like barely a day goes by when someone isn’t telling how wonderful Karen Russell is, specifically this book. I want to be able to say these things too!

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  1. Coast of Chicago, by Stuart Dybek

I’ve read the first three works in this collection, and can already tell that this book is definitely worth reading the whole way through, not that it necessarily needs to be read in any certain order. I feel confident in this recommendation. And maybe, just maybe, I’ll get to finish it before the New Year.

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  1. The Elephant Vanishes, by Haruki Murakami

I’d be lying if I didn’t say that part of the reason as to why I picked this book up in the first place didn’t involve the title or the cover. (Like you don’t judge a book by its cover?) But I don’t think I could ever go wrong with this author, I haven’t met a Lemurian yet who doesn’t like him.

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  1. My Mother She Killed Me, My Father He Ate Me: Forty New Fairy Tales, by Kate Bernheimer

I LOVE fairy tales, so imagine my excitement when I found this little gem in our anthology section. Aimee Bender? Neil Gaiman? Kelly Link? I believe it was Oliver Twist who said, “Please, sir, I want some more?”

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  1. Selected Stories of Anton Chekhov, by Anton Chekhov

I decided last year during my creative fiction class that I would like to read more Anton Chekhov than the one short story we were assigned. Don’t you also feel your life needs more Russian authors? I know mine certainly does.

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Written by Elizabeth 

 

 

 

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