Short: An International Anthology of Five Centuries of Short-Short Stories

Short collects over five centuries of concise fiction and prose from around the world. The anthology includes works ranging from 1-2 pages down to single sentences, featuring authors from multiple continents and literary traditions. Editor Alan Ziegler has assembled pieces from well-known writers like Kafka, Woolf, and Calvino alongside lesser-known voices and contemporary authors. The collection moves chronologically from the 1500s through the present day, with translations provided for non-English works. The selected works span genres including fables, prose poems, character sketches, surrealist vignettes, and compressed narratives. Each piece is preceded by brief contextual notes about its author and origin. These ultra-brief works explore how meaning and impact can be achieved through extreme economy of language. The anthology demonstrates the enduring appeal of the very short form across cultures and time periods.

This book appears to have limited reader reviews online, with only a few ratings available. Readers appreciated: - The breadth of short works spanning multiple centuries and cultures - Introduction to lesser-known authors alongside established names - The ability to read complete stories in brief sittings Common criticisms: - Some selections feel more like fragments than complete stories - Uneven quality across the anthology - Limited context provided for many pieces Available Ratings: Goodreads: 3.67/5 (9 ratings, 0 text reviews) Amazon: No reviews available Note: Due to the specialized academic nature of this anthology and its 2014 publication date, there are few public reader reviews to analyze. The book appears to be used primarily in university settings rather than finding a broader general readership.

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📚 The anthology spans works from 1386 to 2014, beginning with Chaucer's "Tale of a Pot" and ending with contemporary flash fiction. ✍️ Editor Alan Ziegler spent over a decade collecting and curating these short-short stories, gathering works from 69 countries and 35 languages. 🌍 The book includes works from unexpected sources, such as ancient Chinese parables, Sufi teaching stories, and African folk tales—not just traditional Western literature. ⚡ Each story in the collection is under 1,500 words, with many being only a few sentences long, demonstrating how powerful narratives can be crafted in minimal space. 🎓 Alan Ziegler is a professor at Columbia University's School of the Arts, where he has taught writing since 1981 and served as chair of the Writing Program from 2001 to 2006.