A long-term love affair with the short story

[dropcap]A[/dropcap]t such a busy time of year, finding time to sit down with the new best-seller or that heavy classic you’ve always been meaning to read is difficult. But university needn’t get in the way of reading for enjoyment; short stories can provide intense, fresh, exhilarating bursts of that good-book escapism we all crave.

As all book-lovers will agree, there is nothing like whiling away your day, curled up with a book that you just can’t put down. For the majority of people thrown into the hectic life of Freshers’, this particular luxury becomes a distant memory. During these first few weeks of term, it seems like you don’t know whether you’re coming or going: there are a million new names to remember; societies to join; and even some work, if you can squeeze it in! Among all this upheaval, finding the time for those books on your ever-lengthening ‘To Read’ list can be nigh on impossible. Not to fear – the short story is ideal to read, maybe before you head out to Pop!, or if you just need some down-time.

Short stories are the perfect way to keep your love of literature alive

It seems to me that the short story can reach a level of perfection that the novel, due to its greater length, often misses. Angela Carter’s The Bloody Chamber  is a perfect example: Carter has toiled over every word, sentence and paragraph to craft a heady plot of sensuality, emotion and beauty, all within a few pages. Less dark, but no less beautiful, Amy Leach’s Things That Are is a must for nature-lovers and dreamers alike, with magical descriptions of the natural world that will be sure to get you out of your room and into the great outdoors.

Moreover, short stories allow for the impatience you’ve no doubt acquired as a busy student; if you’re not hooked by the first few sentences, there’s no need to persevere. For this reason, it seems that authors of short stories work harder to hold your attention. You can be plunged into the utmost depths of a narrator’s psyche by short story authors, such as Virginia Woolf, who draw heavily upon their own experiences to produce reflections of life that are both hilarious and tear-jerking. The witty, awkward plot of Simon Rich’s The Last Girlfriend on Earth will recall those flatmates who are already declaring undying love for one another. Alice Munro’s collection of stories about the uncomplicated and heart-warming lives of her characters in Open Secrets will linger with you long after you have put it down.

So, when you next find yourself short of time and in need of a good book, treat yourself to a short story for a snippet of literary therapy. A good laugh, maybe even a good cry, and then pass it on to a friend to share the love!

Image credits: Header (Flickr/David Merrett), Image 1 (sarahkirk.wordpress.com)