Short stories – whatcathyread

‘Christmas is a Sad Season for the Poor’ by John Cheever (from his Collected Stories).

12/12/2025

If it wasn’t for my friend Sara, I might never have discovered this gem of a writer. Sara loaned me Waterlog: A Swimmer’s Journey through Britain by Roger Deakin. Deacon’s journey was inspired by Cheever’s short story ‘The Swimmer’. I wasn’t that fussed about Waterlog but was instantly captivated by the idea behind ‘The Swimmer’, … More ‘Christmas is a Sad Season for the Poor’ by John Cheever (from his Collected Stories).

Heart Lamp Selected Stories by Banu Mushtaq translated by Deepa Bashti

24/10/2025

If you follow my blog you’ll probably realise that I mostly read prize-winning books. That’s not because I think prize winners are the only books worth reading (sometimes I don’t even rate them all that highly). No, I read the prize winners because I get to read books that I wouldn’t otherwise pick up – … More Heart Lamp Selected Stories by Banu Mushtaq translated by Deepa Bashti

Learning to Talk: short stories by Hilary Mantel

28/05/2022

When I was a toddler a large dog attacked me, or rather a large dog ran from a neighbour’s garden and charged me to the ground. My Mum yelled at the neighbour, the neighbour yelled at the dog, I sprawled on the pavement bawling my head off, and the dog took the little doll I’d … More Learning to Talk: short stories by Hilary Mantel

The Reservoir Tapes by Jon McGregor

24/01/2020

Last summer I was in a bar in Corfu watching Liverpool beat Spurs 2-0 in the Champions League Cup Final. The previous summer I’d watched Liverpool lose the same final to Real Madrid by 3-1. In that match we were disadvantaged not only because our star striker, Mo Salah, broke his collarbone within the first … More The Reservoir Tapes by Jon McGregor

Bluebeard’s Egg and Other Stories by Margaret Atwood

27/10/2017

When I was five I had a my first boyfriend. I’d play at his house and he’d play at mine, and in summer we’d play by the River Alt. This was when kids allowed to wander wherever provided you weren’t alone and home in time for tea. He liked the caramel wafer biscuits they sold … More Bluebeard’s Egg and Other Stories by Margaret Atwood

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Category: Short stories