It’s another iced-in day here in PDX, with a frozen landscape I dare not venture into. With all of these ice and snow days, I’ve had more time to read than usual. This got me thinking, short stories that are perfect for situations like this; You didn’t plan on having time to read, but now you do.

There are so many great short stories, but I thought I’d compile a go-to list of classics, that are universally great.

Here is my Short List:

 The Snow Queen
Hans Christian Anderson

Of course this wintry weather has me thinking of “The Snow Queen” but the whole HCA fairytale collection is a great thing to have on hand!

Rated 4.4 on amazon.com

 

 

Happy Prince & Other Stories
by Oscar Wilde

Includes stories that appeal to both child and adult with their themes of love, truth and sacrifice. The other stories are: The Selfish Giant, The Nightingale and the Rose, The Devoted Friend, and The Remarkable Rocket.

Rated 4.6 on amazon.com

 

The Magic Shop
H.G. Wells

Written in the year 1903, this book is one of the most popular novels of H. G. Wells, and has been translated into several other languages around the world. This book will take you back to the days when you believed in magic, maybe that’s still today.

Rated 4.3 on amazon.com

 

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
by Washington Irving

The story is set in 1790 in the countryside around the Dutch settlement of Tarry Town (historical Tarrytown, New York), in a secluded glen called Sleepy Hollow. Sleepy Hollow is renowned for its ghosts and the haunting atmosphere that pervades the imaginations of its inhabitants and visitors

Rated 4.2 on amazon.com

Rip Van Winkle
by Washington Irving
Follow up Sleepy Hallow with the legendary enchantment of Rip Van Winkle in the Kaatskill Mountains; the gruesome end of Ichabod Crane, who met the headless horseman of Sleepy Hollow; the spectre bridegroom who turned out to be happily substantial; the pride of an English village and the come-uppance of the over-zealous Mountjoy – these witty, perceptive and captivating tales range from fantasy to romance.

Rated 4.3 on amazon.com

The Short Novels of
John Steinbeck

From the tale of commitment, loneliness and hope in Of Mice and Men, to the tough yet charming portrait of people on the margins of society in Cannery Row, to The Pearl’s examination of the fallacy of the American dream, Steinbeck stories of realism, that were imbued with energy and resilience.

Rated 4.5 on amazon.com

On the topic of Shorts, here is a mini drink that really packs a punch:

Book Bean: Café Bombón
A Cuban drink with roots to Valencia, Spain. 
Espresso served with sweetened condensed milk in a 1:1 ratio. Bombón means chocolate in Spanish. Sprinkle with cinnamon, nutmeg, or even cayenne for extra pop of flavor.

 

Grimm’s Complete Fairy Tales
The Brothers Grimm
They are the stories we’ve known since we were children. Rapunzel. Hansel and Gretel. Cinderella. Sleeping Beauty. But the works originally collected by the Brothers Grimm in the early 1800s are not necessarily the versions we heard before bedtime. They’re darker and often don’t end very happily—but they’re often far more interesting.

Rated 4.6 on amazon.com

 

Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Three Stories
Truman Capote
Holly Golightly knows that nothing bad can ever happen to you at Tiffany’s; her poignancy, wit, and naïveté continue to charm. This volume also includes three of Capote’s best-known stories, “House of Flowers,” “A Diamond Guitar,” and “A Christmas Memory,” which the Saturday Review called “one of the most moving stories in our language.”

Rated 4.4 on amazon.com

The Bazaar of Bad Dreams: Stories
Stephen King

He has dazzled an entire generation of readers with his genius as a prominent writer of short fiction. Now he once again assembles a generous array of unforgettable, tantalizing tales – including those that, until recently, have never been published in a book

Rated 4.3 on amazon.com

The Five People You Meet in Heaven
by Mitch Albom

This story follows the life and death of a maintenance man named Eddie. In a heroic attempt to save a little girl from being killed by an amusement park ride that is about to fall, Eddie is killed and sent to heaven, where he encounters five people who had a significant impact upon him while he was alive.

Rated 4.6 on amazon.com

The Tell-Tale Heart
by Edgar Allan Poe

A story first published in 1843.
It is told by an unnamed narrator who endeavors to convince the reader of his sanity, while describing a murder he committed.
Intrigued..? 😉

Rated 4.7 on amazon.com

To Build a Fire and Other Stories
by Jack London

If you need a good warming up after some of those chillers, here is a classic collection of some of Jack London’s most loved short stories. His writing is heart-warming and grounding, a great way to spend a few hours or days.

Rated 4.5 on amazon.com

What are some of your favorite short stories?