Story Prize and Booker International Prize Shortlists, 2013

I try to read as many new short story collections as I possibly can, but even though, (compared with the novel) not that many short story collections are published each year, alas, I do not have the time to read them all.  I rely on the recommendations of my readers, other bloggers, reviewers, and friends.  I also pay special attention to the collections that get shortlisted for the various prizes.

Two important prizes that have recently announced their shortlists are the American-based Story Prize, and the British-based Man Booker International Prize. The Story Prize only considers collections of short stories, whereas the Man Booker International Award is given to a writer for his or her life’s work.  Of the ten authors (all identified as “novelists) who made the Man Booker shortlist, three are also well known for their short stories:

The Story Prize Shortlist for 2013

Stay Awake by Dan Chaon (Ballantine Books)

This Is How You Lose Her by Junot Díaz (Riverhead Books)

Battleborn by Claire Vaye Watkins (Riverhead Books)

(Winner will be announced on March 13, 2013)

The Man Booker International Prize Shortlisted Authors Known for Short Stories:

Lydia Davis

Peter Stamm

Josip Novakovich

(Winner will be announced on May 22)

I will be commenting on the three Story Prize shortlisted books during February and the following books of the three Man Booker authors known for their short stories during the month of March: 

Lydia Davis, The Collected Stories

Peter Stamm, We’re Flying,

Josip Novakovich, Infidelities, Yolk, and Salvation and Other Disasters

Also during February and March, I will also be reading the two collections of short stories from The New York Times 100 Notable Books of 2012 that I had not yet previously read and commented on:

The Book of Mischief by Steve Stern

Married Love by Tess Hadley

If any of you are interested in reading along with me, I would be happy to discuss any of these ten books with you in the next couple of months.

I am working daily on my book on Reading the Short Story, aka How to Read Short Stories, and think I have a pretty good idea now what the structure of the book will look like.  I will be posting on my progress this spring and summer and hope to have the book finished by the fall.