Quote:
Originally Posted by Rooksx
If I can only read one, which Alice Munro short story collection should I read? If relevant, the only short stories I’ve read voluntarily are Sherlock Holmes. For some reason the short form has never appealed to me, but I know I’m missing out.
Her
Selected Stories would be the obvious answer. Note, though, that the stories in that book are arranged chronologically and, although she was always a very strong writer, her stories became richer and more complex over the years. So if you want to see her at her peak you might want to jump ahead, into the later work, perhaps choosing from "The Turkey Season," "The Moons of Jupiter" (one of my favourites), "The Progress of Love" (which is the one I chose to teach year after year and never got tired of), "Lichen," "Miles City, Montana," or "White Dump."
Although she's a very accessible writer, many of these stories really open up on rereading.
In any case, it's almost impossible to go wrong if you've not read her before, and all the early work in that collection is also well-worth your time. (I find that "Dance of the Happy Shades," "Something I've Been Meaning to Tell You" (another that I think is especially interesting), "Material," and "Royal Beatings" left particularly strong impressions on me.
Last edited by RussellinToronto; 04-24-2023 at 05:01 PM.