28. On Being Human (or not): Exceptional Short Stories
28. On Being Human (or not): Exceptional Short Stories
Good short stories can share expansive truths with the smallest details. Each of these authors offer mesmerizing insights into what it means to be human in their collections. Corinna Chong’s The Whole Animal is perfect for fans of Souvankham Thammavongsa or Lynn Coady; an original debut that grapples with self-discovery, and explores the bodies of humans and animals. Christine Estima’s The Syrian Ladies Benevolent Society explores indelible linked stories centred around Azurée, a young Arab woman living in the echoes of her ancestors’ voices across the globe. Ada Zhang’s The Sorrows of Others explores the experience of being outsiders—as immigrants, as revolutionaries—through families in China and America after the Cultural Revolution. These are ideas, themes, and identities worth exploring through the intricate craft of the short story. Moderated by Anna Ling Kaye.