Six Funny Short Stories
Short stories usually don't get the buzz associated with popular long form novels but there are plenty that should. The short form might actually be better suited to the humorous side of storytelling because it's just plain hard to sustain a funny storyline for 300 pages that will keep the reader interested. Come to think of it, that's pretty hard to do for five pages too. Take a look at these selections when you need to add an infusion of funny to your day.
The Ransom of Red Chief by O.Henry
A true comic classic about two witless kidnappers who get way more than they bargained for when their ransom plan doesn't go the way they wanted. This work is evidence of O. Henry's mastery of the short story form.
The Happy Place by David Sedaris
Anyone who's experienced the indignity of the colonoscopy experience probably didn't find a whole lot of humor in the ordeal but, David Sedaris isn't just anyone and he somehow found the whole thing not only funny but kind of pleasant.
The Torrents of Spring by Earnest Hemingway
Hemingway is best known for his macho style of writing about a world populated by men caught up in wars, the cruel passage of time and the women who seem to be put on Earth to make their lives miserable. This story is his dig at the stuffed shirt world of writers who take themselves and their work way too seriously. Torrents was widely panned by many when it was released by some of the very people Hemingway skewered in the story.
The Purity of the Turf by P.G. Wodehouse
One of literature's best comedy duos; Bertie Wooster and his butler Jeeves wind their way through the English countryside as they encounter shady sportsmen and dangerous women. The interactions between the clueless Wooster and the intellectual Jeeves set the tone for many a send up of Britain's upper crust.
The Interlopers by Saki
Saki is the pen name of Scottish writer H.H. Munro whose work tended toward the dark side of humor that often pitted humans against the insurmountable force of nature. The Interlopers is a tale of two men in conflict who both get caught up in an unfortunate "Act of God" and find they don't dislike each other as much as they thought they did.
His Oeuvre by John Updike
Updike's alter ego Henry Bech starts seeing women from his past pop up at his public readings. The aging writer ponders his sanity and his life as he tries to make sense of it all.
Published by Stephen Pinder
Stephen loves travel and travel writing. He also enjoys sports and golf with old friends and new ones he meets on the road. View profile
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