The Dangers of Smoking in Bed
Explore the dark and eerie streets of Buenos Aires where the supernatural and the macabre collide in these chilling tales of witchcraft, rev…
The Booker Library's Best Short Story Collections of 2025
A curated list of the most compelling short story collections nominated for the Booker and International Booker Prizes in 2025, showcasing the power of the compact literary form.
Cursed Bunny
A surreal and chilling collection of fables that blend horror, sci-fi, and fairy tales to critique the patriarchy, capitalism, and big tech …
Happy Stories, Mostly
A mesmerizing blend of speculative fiction and dark absurdism, Happy Stories, Mostly explores the elusive nature of joy and acceptance throu…
Heart Lamp
A vivid and witty collection of stories capturing the lives of women and girls in southern India, blending humor, emotion, and social commen…
White Nights
Thirteen interconnected stories of resilience and despair in a remote Polish village, where characters face poverty and tragedy with raw hon…
Faces on the Tip of My Tongue
A poignant and humorous collection of stories exploring the intricate lives of a rural French community, where the familiar and mysterious i…
The World Goes On
Discover a masterful collection of stories from the 'contemporary Hungarian master of apocalypse,' blending haunting narratives with profoun…
If I Survive You
A dazzling and blistering debut novel that explores family, identity, and survival through the lens of a vibrant Caribbean-American family i…
Jokes for the Gunmen
A collection of darkly humorous and surreal stories seen through the eyes of children in a war zone, blending the innocence of youth with th…
I Live in the Slums
Dive into a surreal and poetic landscape where reality blurs with illusion in this captivating collection of stories by Can Xue.
Ninth Building
A poignant collection of vignettes capturing the tedium and gallows humor of life during the Cultural Revolution, as seen through the eyes o…
The Booker Library's Best Short Story Collections of 2025 highlights a selection of exceptional short story collections that have been nominated for the prestigious Booker and International Booker Prizes. While the Booker Prize traditionally focuses on long-form fiction, it has recognized works that blur the lines between novels and short stories, such as V.S. Naipaul's 'In a Free State' and Bernardine Evaristo's 'Girl, Woman, Other'. The International Booker Prize, on the other hand, openly embraces short story collections, reflecting the cultural significance of this literary form in various regions. This list features a diverse range of stories that delve into themes of identity, societal issues, and the human condition. From the haunting tales of Mariana Enríquez's 'The Dangers of Smoking in Bed' to the surreal and absurdist narratives of Bora Chung's 'Cursed Bunny', these collections offer a rich tapestry of voices and perspectives. Each story is a testament to the skill and creativity of its authors, providing a profound and immersive reading experience. Whether exploring the everyday lives of women in Muslim communities in southern India, as in Banu Mushtaq's 'Heart Lamp', or the existential musings of characters in László Krasznahorkai's 'The World Goes On', these collections are a celebration of the short story's ability to captivate and provoke thought within a compact form. This list is a must-read for anyone seeking to explore the best of contemporary short fiction.