It's the best book for researchers on short story theory. Charles E. May is a clever editor and a great writer. His articles are deep and clear. His editting shows a careful selection of articles which obey a logical sequence being all intertwined and interconnected. I do recommend the book for undergraduate students of literature as well as for graduate students.
For understanding, not writing, short stories:
In short (pun intended), this is one of the two or three best books out there on the theory of short story (see also _Short Story Theory at a Crossroads_ ed. by Lohafer and Clarey).
There are countless books out there for helping you craft your own short fiction. This book is not for that, nor does it make any claims to this purpose.
Instead, it is an excellent, critical look at the history and current state of the genre of the short story. If this is at all your interest, you must have this... more info
Sorry, John:
Just a note to my colleague John to say I am sorry he did not find the book useful. I did not intend it for creative writing classes, but for students interested in the generic nature of the short story. Perhaps he might find the earlier version of the book more helpful, but this book does represent the best current thinking about the short story I could find. And thanks to John for at least a kind word about my own essay. Charles May
Great book, but difficult:
John Jr (below) obviously has a little chip on his shoulder about writing theory and probably about academia.
No, this is not a how-to book filled with exercises and tips and explanations of different techniques. It is a book for the advanced student or writer, and discusses issues involved with the short story, placing the form in assorted contexts and dissecting it from those positions. It is not easy reading, but neither is it impregnable to the thoughtful reader. It will not tell you how to write... more info
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