Short stories. Best of the best.

[andrew.v.spencer]

It's been a while since I read many short stories. So what I'm looking for is GREAT collections of short stories, or the names of individual stories. Not just the yearly anthologies (which are quite variable in quality), but the best of best of the best. Sir, yes, sir.

They can be individual authors, thematic, or collections in Sci fi, fantasy or horror.

J.D. I guess I'm hoping for more of your cyclopean or should I say encyclopedic knowledge.

Cheers, thanks, best wishes and happy easter.

[Triceratops]

I believe it was called The Sand Kings by Martin that really bowled me other.

Tri

[HardScienceFan]

Originally Posted by andrew.v.spencer

It's been a while since I read many short stories. So what I'm looking for is GREAT collections of short stories, or the names of individual stories. Not just the yearly anthologies (which are quite variable in quality), but the best of best of the best. Sir, yes, sir.

They can be individual authors, thematic, or collections in Sci fi, fantasy or horror.

J.D. I guess I'm hoping for more of your cyclopean or should I say encyclopedic knowledge.

Cheers, thanks, best wishes and happy easter.

Have you seen the classic SF section yet?some good ones in there.

[mosaix]

Hi AVS, this may not be any use to you as they are out of print but the best collection I ever read were published by Faber in paper back and edited by Edmund Crispin in the late 50's and early 60's. Simply they were entitled Best SF One, Best SF Two and Best SF Three. There was a fourth one in the series but it wasn't as good.

You may be able to pick them up second hand from book shops or Amazon.

[BookStop]

I haven't read it in a long. long time, but Time Safari (I think that's the name) by David Drake was really good.

[pyan]

You might want to have a scan through this thread as well, Andrew:

http://www.chronicles-network.com/fo...=short+stories

[Rane Longfox]

Ted Chiang's Stories of Your Life and Others is certainly the best single-author anthology I've read. Definately worth a try

[j. d. worthington]

Well, as you didn't specify it had to be sff related, there's always Whit Burnett's (ed.) This Is My Best, in which 93 of the greatest living (at that time) writers picked 150 pieces they considered to be their best work. It's a huge tome, and has everything from short stories to essays to selections from novels. It went through numerous printings, so you may be able to find it fairly easily.

On the rest ... I'll get back to you when I've a bit more time to think of some...

[HardScienceFan]

Originally Posted by j. d. worthington

.

Hi JD*should I say top of the morning to you???*
anyway:
Fred Pohl's Shadow of tomorrow
C Chute
Bad Day for Sales
Marching morons
Orphans of the Void
Common Time
Genesis*H Beam Piper,not God*
plus assorted smaller goodies

[Gav]

Tough question... are we talking by single authors or multiple authors?

Best collection I've read in while was called "Nova Scotia". I think there was only one weak story - and that only appeared weak because the rest are so good.

Other than that I would struggle. I've always enjoyed Asimov's short stories so I would probably start with those (so many happy memories).

Or, for that matter, it could be any of Lovecraft's stuff.

For some reason the short story that sticks in my head the most is "The Pedestrian" by Ray Bradbury. I found it very thought provoking when I read it.

And I've a particular fondness for "Repent Harlequin! Said the Tic Toc man." by Ellison.

[pyan]

Originally Posted by Gav

And I've a particular fondness for "Repent Harlequin! Said the Tic Toc man." by Ellison.

Me too! - and "Gadget versus Trend", by Christopher Anvil (H.C.Crosby).
Oh, and "Killdozer" by Theodore Sturgeon, as well.
I think that stories you read early in a reading career tend to stick in the mind,for some reason - certainly those two take me back with affection at least 35 years.

[ScottSF]

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Or if you wanna go all Amazon Used then get Persistence of Vision by John Varley.

[Nesacat]

Any of the collections of Lovecraft's work or Poe or Dunsany
Lovedeath by Dan Simmons
Angry Candy by Harlan Ellison
Any of the collections of Ray Bradbury's work
The Wind's Twelve Quarters by Ursula K LeGuin

[Marvolo]

Originally Posted by andrew.v.spencer

It's been a while since I read many short stories. So what I'm looking for is GREAT collections of short stories, or the names of individual stories. Not just the yearly anthologies (which are quite variable in quality), but the best of best of the best. Sir, yes, sir.

They can be individual authors, thematic, or collections in Sci fi, fantasy or horror.

J.D. I guess I'm hoping for more of your cyclopean or should I say encyclopedic knowledge.

Cheers, thanks, best wishes and happy easter.

Enemy Mine, which is in a collection along side Sand Kings. Nebula Winners Fifteen I believe.

Have not read Sand Kings yet.

I intend to though.

[BookStop]

I don't see Flowers for Algernon yet mentioed.