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Where to start

Short story collections to read

Not sure which short story collections to read? We ranked 54 of them using 16,009 reader ratings; the average is 7.8/10. Below: three books to start with, then short reads, series starts, new books, and classics.

If you read only one, make it Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang (8.4/10). If you prefer a series: The Witcher starts with The Last Wish.

Start here

Three short story collections that many readers rate highly — each one a first volume or a book that stands alone.

  1. Stories of Your Life and OthersTed Chiang · 2002 · 320 pages8.4/10 · 1,151 ratingsTed Chiang’s “Stories of Your Life and Others” gathers eight pieces of science fiction and fantasy that handle large ideas with rare care.
  2. FiccionesJorge Luis Borges · 1944 · 196 pages8.4/10 · 335 ratings“Ficciones” packs a great deal of thought into fewer than two hundred pages; it is the book that made Borges’s name worldwide.
  3. I, RobotIsaac Asimov · 1950 · 245 pages8.2/10 · 1,723 ratingsRobot series · book 1 of 5A collection to read for its ideas rather than for a plot.

Short reads: under 300 pages

For a weekend or a commute. 36 of the rated short story collections are this short; these score best.

  1. The Things They CarriedTim O'Brien · 1990 · 256 pages8.2/10 · 591 ratings
  2. The Tell-Tale HeartEdgar Allan Poe · 1843 · 30 pages8.0/10 · 371 ratings
  3. Interpreter of MaladiesJhumpa Lahiri · 1999 · 208 pages8.0/10 · 329 ratings
  4. Nine StoriesJ. D. Salinger · 1953 · 198 pages8.0/10 · 257 ratings

Series worth starting

The first volume of each series, with the full reading order one click away.

  1. The Last WishAndrzej Sapkowski · 1993 · 352 pages8.1/10 · 2,145 ratingsThe Witcher · book 1 of 9 · Reading order →
  2. Encyclopedia Brown, Boy DetectiveDonald J. Sobol · 1963 · 111 pages7.7/10 · 87 ratingsEncyclopedia Brown · book 1 of 27 · Reading order →
  3. Swords and DeviltryFritz Leiber · 1970 · 224 pages7.6/10 · 112 ratingsFafhrd and the Gray Mouser · book 1 of 8 · Reading order →

New in 2025 and 2026

The best-rated new books with at least 50 reader ratings.

  1. Lost LambsMadeline Cash · 20267.9/10 · 67 ratings
  2. Stag DanceTorrey Peters · 2025 · 304 pages7.9/10 · 54 ratings

Classics from before 1950

Still read, still rated: the older books that hold up best.

  1. The Yellow WallpaperCharlotte Perkins Gilman · 1892 · 34 pages8.0/10 · 865 ratings
  2. An Occurrence at Owl Creek BridgeAmbrose Bierce · 1890 · 32 pages7.8/10 · 85 ratings
  3. DublinersJames Joyce · 1914 · 240 pages7.8/10 · 466 ratings
  4. Just So StoriesRudyard Kipling · 1902 · 113 pages7.7/10 · 81 ratings

How long are the rated short story collections?

Under 300 pages36
300–499 pages12
500 pages or more2

50 of 54 rated titles with a known page count. Largest group: under 300 pages.

Narrow it down with “Find a book”

“Find a book” holds 53 short story collections. Pick a shortcut — the filters are already set:

Short story collections in a series14Standalone short story collections39Short story collections, mood: dark23Short story collections with a film or series4Award-winning short story collections15
All short story collections in “Find a book” →

Questions readers ask

What short story collections should I read first?

Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang: 8.4/10 from 1,151 ratings, and it needs no earlier book. Next on our list: Ficciones and I, Robot.

What is a good short story collection under 300 pages?

The Things They Carried (256 pages, 8.2/10) is the highest-rated one under 300 pages.

Which short story collection series should I start?

The Witcher: begin with The Last Wish, the first of 9 books. The reading order page lists every volume.

What are the best new short story collections?

Lost Lambs (2026) leads the recent titles at 7.9/10 from 67 ratings.

How are these books chosen?

Only books with enough reader ratings to be ranked (at least 50) are picked. The score is a weighted average across independent rating sources, pulled toward the category average when ratings are few.

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Other genres: where to start

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