Short Story Icons

#1

“Can a short story really be iconic in the way of a poem, or a painting, or Elvis?”

asks Emily Temple in her article for LitHub,

“43 of the Mosts iconic Short Stories in the English Language, From Washington Irving to Kristen Roupenain”

What does it mean to be iconic?

As a writer you may be wondering, “How do I get there?”

I know I am!

Let’s check out some great examples.

Did you agree with her list?

Who would you have added or taken away?

Do you have a short story you would like to share here with the group? (your own or another’s you are fond of for any reason)

2 Likes
#2

I love the list, and am happy to have read around 1/3 of the books on it. LOL

1 Like
#3

From the Wyndham’s The Seeds of Time, published in 1956, the short story Dumb Martian has a wonderful 21st century zeitgeist about it.

1 Like
#4

I love Washington Irving, Edgar Allan Poe, Henry James, Shirley Jackson, and Ray Bradbury. I grew up on their stories, as well as those by Louisa May Alcott and F. Scott Fitzgerald. These are some of the people who inspired me to write. The Yellow Wallpaper has always been one of my favorite stories. It’s haunted me since high school. If I had been compiling this list, I would have included Fitzgerald’s Bernice Bobs Her Hair. I’ve always loved that story, too.

2 Likes
#5

How could I have never read this one? (going to remedy this right now)

Thank you Kelly for the addition!

These lists are like finding lost money in a coat pocket.

I’ve read about half on the list as part of my upbring and falling in love with the art of storytelling.

It is a joy to find new favorites just waiting to be found tucked in among those favorites to add to my memories.

This will also be a new one for me as well, Thank you Lita!

2 Likes