My Favorite Short stories (Recommendations)

Short stories have there own charm. One can read them again and again. Whenever I reread a story, I often go back to the time when I'd read it before, I start to remember the day, silence, chirrup of birds, etc etc etc.... 

I've read numerous short stories. Some of them are really close to my heart. So today I'm going to recommend some of my favorite short stories.

1. The last leaf (O. Henry) 

Many of us have read this short story in our NCERT English text books. I still remember I used to bring old english to hindi translation guide of cousins (who are 4 years older than me) to home and read those stories 4 year before reaching that particular standard. Apart from my ramblings, this is a story of two young artists Johnsy and Sue. Johnsy has pneumonia and has lost the will of living. She has started to believe that with the fall of last leaf on ivy creeper she will die. Will she survive or not? To know this you will have to read this story. 

2. यही सच है (Manu Bhandari)

Rajanigandha movie (by Basu Chatterjee)is based on this beautiful short story. This is the story of an young and educated woman Deepa who has planned to marry her lover Sanjay. Deepa goes to Calcutta for her job interview where she meets Nishith (her ex). Nishith despite of their split takes good care of her. Unlike Sanjay he is punctual too. Deepa starts to feel confuse and can't decide between her past and future. Whom will she choose? Is her decision right?

You should definitely read this story and definitely watch Movie Rajanigandha.

3. Bhuto (Satyajit Ray) 

This is the first short story, I read, of Satyajit Ray which made me read his other works. Satyajit Ray was well known Film maker, Bharat Ratna and Oscar winner and writer. Bhuto is story of an aspiring ventriloquist who wishes to learn this art from famous magician Arkur Chowdhary. When Arkur Chowdhary refuses to teach him Navin decides to take revenge by learning himself. He masters the art of ventriloquism and named his puppet Bhuto who looks like Chowdhary. This makes Chowdhary angry. After sometimes Navin starts to see changes in Bhuto. Although it's just a puppet, it starts to age. Now Bhuto doesn't speak according to Navin. Navin has no longer control over Bhuto. What will happen next? Why are changes coming to Bhuto? To know all this you must have to read this story. 

This story was originally written in Bengali. I've read two different English translations and have provided link to both books you can choose of your choice. 

4. सोहाग का शव (Munshi Premchand) 

This story left a huge impact on my fourteen years old mind. Prof. Keshav left the country for his higher studies leaving his wife Subhadra behind. While everyone was against Keshav's shift to London, Subhadra felt elated and prayed for her husband's success. Keshav promised her to write regularly and also assured her that he wouldn't see another women even if she's Apsara (celestial nymph). But after sometime things started to change. Subhadra decided to go to London. What kind of circumstances waiting for her? Was Keshav really changed? Why was he no longer sending her letters? 

This story explains the pain of woman and her ability to take strong decision in the society where she herself believes husband's success is her success. 

5. Night Train at Deoli (Ruskin Bond) 

This story has the essence of long train journey, Countless unknown stations, Small towns, station where nobody board or left the train. Narrator (a teenager) decides to visit his grandmother for his holidays. There's a one station named Deoli where narrator decides to get off the train for sometime. He meets a girl who is basket seller. He immediately falls in love with her. But soon he has to board the train without even knowing her name. Bond's stories usually bring a freshness with them. This story is sum up of everything grief, happiness, travel, wait, beauty. 

6. Skeleton (Rabindranath Tagore)

Narrator and his brother used to learn anatomy on a skeleton which was placed room next to theirs. After some years skeleton was removed from that room but one day narrator had to sleep in that room. He was awakened by the search mission of ghost looking for her Skeleton. He was frightened to death but decided to talk to ghost as if he doesn't care. Then a long conversation happened between them.

7. Such perfection (RK Narayan)

Soma made a sculpture of Nataraja with his whole heart and invest his five years in it. The sculpture became so perfect that it wasn't allowed to placed on temple as it was too perfect for human eye. Priest suggested that they should bring some kind of flaw in that sculpture fearing God's wrath but Soma decided not to listen. What would happen next? How did God's intervention brought change? How would sculpture get it place in temple? 

8. The Story of An Hour (Kate Chopin)

Mrs. Louise Mallard's sister broke news of her husband death to her. Louise at once become full of grief and ran to her room. There she realised the happiness and new sense of freedom because of her husband's death. What happened next is definitely shocking and will leave you with numerous questions. 

9. Living or dead (Rabindranath Tagore)

Kandambini is a childless widow who lives with her brother in law's family. She and son of her brother in law are very close. One night Kandambini died and her body was taken to temple for cremation in morning. When everyone was out suddenly Kandambini awakened and came out. She started to believe that she was dead and was scared of living? Was she really dead? How will everyone believe she is alive? 

How much we run on superstitions. This heart wrenching story is definitely a must read. 

10. Gratitude ( Banaphool) 

Banaphool had the talent to write a complete story that ends as soon as it begins. Gratitude is a funny little story of marriage of two lovers who come to know about each others feelings with the help of a rat. This story will bring smile on your face. 

That's all for today's recommendations from my side. 

Happy reading.