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Short Story Collections

Old Babes in the Wood

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By Margaret Atwood — Doubleday, 2023

This is a short story collection by the renowned Canadian author and ardent feminist Margaret Atwood—you are likely familiar with her speculative fiction novel, The Handmaid’s Tale (1985). These new stories portray a world of unique characters, strange places and unusual situations, often set in the future. But while some may be set in a dystopia, these tales contain relevant themes: cancel culture, state control over women’s bodies, and pandemics, to name a few. 

“The Age of Lead” tells the tale of a young woman named Iris, who is struggling to come to terms with her father’s death. The story is a moving and powerful exploration of grief, loss and the search for meaning. “My Evil Mother” is a dark, funny story about a young woman discovering that her mother is a witch. “The Sea King” is a beautifully written yarn about a woman who falls in love with a sea creature.

Older women narrate; some are widows and one is terminally ill. They explore memory, loss and commitment to family over time. Old Babes in the Wood is a masterful showcase of Atwood’s brilliant writing and storytelling abilities. It’s a must-read for any fan of the author or anyone who enjoys thought-provoking and imaginative fiction.

 

The Day I Ate Whatever I Wanted: And Other Small Acts of Liberation

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By Elizabeth Berg – Random House, 2008

Award-winning writer Elizabeth Berg shines in this book of short stories, told as you would talk to a friend at the kitchen table. One poignant and touching story tells the tale of two women in their 80s, friends for 50 years, who have accepted without words that one has reached the end of her life. In another story, a defiant dieter goes AWOL for a day, eats what makes her happy, if not satisfied, and returns to Weight Watchers with no one the wiser. And in another, an unsolicited recipe for pie is delivered in a meandering letter from an old family friend. In voices—each different, yet familiar—these 13 stories touch on many issues of a woman’s life. You will want to curl up with tea and tissues to savor every one.

Olive Kitteridge

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By Elizabeth Strout – Random House, 2008 

Are you bored with the glut of female protagonists, divorced, barely out of their 20s, helpless and relying on serendipity to get by? Meet Olive Kitteridge, a heroine like no other. In this Pulitzer Prize-winning novel told in 13 short stories, you may identify with Olive as she becomes older, unapologetic and real. She complains and she judges, all the while observing others critically as they take on life’s challenges. Hidden beneath a crust of personal shortcomings, Olive emerges as a friend in times of need, a loving but flawed mother, and a woman who grows to accept life on life’s terms. You’ll find yourself rooting for this antihero, who is aware of her own aging and mortality, always surprising with her underlying compassion. Here’s to the Olive Kitteridge in all of us.