I think my first short story collection experience was at my childhood library right after I signed up and got my card; I was maybe 9 or 10 years old. I borrowed 2 books: Indian Mythology and Norse Mythology. I still remember how those books sparked a further love of the depths of human creativity.
Growing up in Jamaica, there was no shortage of amazing oral storytellers. I have carried that love for short stories with me and I will always have multiple on my shelves and my TBR. Short stories have the capacity to transform and transport the reader and when an author has the aptitude and range to create beyond what you can imagine, the experience will be unmatched.
The collections on this list are stories that I still think about. They have a stronghold on my subconscious because of their ingenuity, humanity, absurdity, and surrealness.
What It Means When A Man Falls From the Sky by Lesley Nneka Arimah
This is a collection so brilliant and eerie that you will find yourself continuously returning to its pages to eke out more understanding or attempting to unravel the mysterious allure and genius of Arimah’s craft.
Summer Lightning by Olive Senior
Stories with that quiet strength to move the reader to compassion and empathy. Senior’s works will always make their way into your heart, making a forever home there.
Skin Folk by Nalo Hopkinson
Hopkinson has one of the best imaginations out there and with their dedication and love of Caribbean history and folklore, their stories will always transport a reader, leaving you filled with a taste of our multitudes.
Drinking from Graveyard Wells by Yvette Lisa Ndlovu
A new to me author who blew me away with their stories that were grounded in our present social landscape but also had historical nuance and scientific relevance.
Come Let Us Sing Anyway by Leone Ross
Ross’ talents at mining the mundane and weaving something magical in these stories was on full display. These incorporated an homage to our oral storytelling tradition and that’s what I’m here for.
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