I would like to read short stories that are beautifully written, but have life affirming messages to them. An example of a life affirming story in novel form would be Dumas’ *The Three Musketeers*, or Hugo’s *Les Miserables*.
The inspiration for this thread is that I read “The Enormous Radio” by John Cheever a while ago. It was beautifully written and the idea behind it is very clever – but man, it is a depressing short story to read. I would like to read stories such as an artist with this degree of talent might have written if they had a more heroic view of life and its possibilities.
Thanks!
by Torin_3
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If you have not read Nine Stories by JD Salinger you might give that a try; it’s my favorite of all short story collection. Also, Flannery O’Connor wrote a short story (prepare yourself) The Artificial Nigger that is the most moving story that I have ever read. I don’t know if a novella counts but here is a clip from The Old Man by William Faulkner that gives a glimpse of his writing style:
Two hours later in the twilight they saw through the streaming windows a burning plantation house. Juxtaposed to nowhere and neighbored by nothing it stood, a clear steady pyre-like flame rigidly fleeing its own reflection, burning in the dusk above the watery desolation with a quality paradoxical, outrageous and bizarre.
If you are a science fiction fan, The Last Question by Azamov will nag at you….it nags at me still