Home > Books > Literature/General Fiction > A Selection of Modern Short Stories (1900 & Beyond)

This is a selection of modern (post-1900) short stories written by various authors (with GEMs highlighted).  The list includes links for several associated items which may be available online for each book: (a) Wikipedia page, (b) e-book, and (c) audiobook.  There is also a column called “More info” with links to optional posts on each book.

Note that the list is sortable by each column. (Multiple levels of sorting are possible by sorting more than one column in succession, from lowest to highest.)  You can also do an instant filtering of the table by entering a character string in the ‘Search’ field.

This section includes a selection of short stories by modern writers of literary fiction.  (Please note that the short stories of W. Somerset Maugham are excluded, since he has his own section.)  While the authors of fiction prior to the 20th century emphasized storytelling and narrative, many modern authors emphasize style and elegance, often using a stream-of-consciousness narrative and delving deep into the psychological makeup of their characters.  These characters are frequently angst-ridden and cynical, with many pages being devoted to self-doubt or clever witticisms which don’t advance the story.  Such stories are not to my taste, and you will not find many of them in the list below.

My preferences in literary short stories, which I believe line up with most people’s, lean towards good storytelling and interesting characters.  When an author focuses on demonstrating his or her virtuosity by means of long, soul-searching passages written in elegant prose (which critics love), it often comes at the expense of storytelling.  I believe the best short stories combine elegant writing with a great plot and interesting characters.  This makes you want to keep turning the pages to see what happens next, and most of the stories below fall into this category.

Please share any comments or suggestions on this list by filling out this form.  You can use the same form to express interest in becoming a contributor to the site and also request downloadable PDF files for many of the stories below.