I still haven't found any short stories that have really moved me, tho mostly I've been looking in the same places, reading more from the America's Best New Voices. I need to switch it up. But now what I've noticed is lots of detached description that seems intended to be slightly satiric. Little windows into rural life, the lives or retired suburbanites or other semi-exoticized lives that I sense are written in tones intended to be respectful but also attempting to highlight common absurdities of these places. Lots of humor that's not really funny, though the kind of lines I could imagine getting a somewhat forced laugh during a writing workshop.
Though just about every story I've read has been first-person, I've come across very few instances of narrating thoughts or feelings rather than events. One major exception was 'Winter Never Quites' by T. Geronima Johnson, which I enjoyed most out of what I've read from this collection or the Granta stories so far.
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Hey Tony,
Amidst comp studying I've managed to read Sherman Alexie's new novel "Flight." It is about a time traveling 15 year old indian--sort of in the manner of slaughterhouse five but with a cast of bums, crazy horse, alcoholics, a well-read anarchist named 'justice', and of course, the main character 'zits'. I think you'd dig it. I know you're looking for a short stories...but this is a really short novel...I think around 150pgs or so. Another collection of short stories that is quite good is Ron Carlson's 'The Hotel Eden'--let me know if you check any of this out.
peace,
Matt
Thanks for the suggestion, Matt. I read his collection Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven years ago and remember enjoying it.
Hope comps are going well!
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