Short stories have always held a special place in my heart. From Ruskin Bond’s heartwarming tales nestled in the quiet hills of Mussoorie to Saadat Hasan Manto’s raw, gut-wrenching accounts of partition and human frailty, these compact pieces of literature have left a lasting imprint on my soul. Though brief in length, each story feels like a world in itself—complete, resonant, and powerful.
As a reader, I’ve often marveled at how a short story can do in a few pages what some novels struggle to accomplish in hundreds. A character glimpsed for just a moment can linger for days. A single paragraph can shake your moral compass. Manto, in particular, taught me that literature isn’t always meant to comfort—it can confront, disturb, and force reflection. His stories, though often difficult to digest, broadened my understanding of human complexity in ways no textbook ever could.
On the other hand, Ruskin Bond showed me the beauty in simplicity. His stories whisper rather than shout. They find meaning in ordinary lives and gentle moments, reminding me that not all change needs to be dramatic to be profound. His writing helped me notice the poetry in my own surroundings—the rustle of leaves, a neighbor’s smile, the soft hush of rain on rooftops.
Here are top 6 short stories from my this month’s read that I’m sure I’ll remember for a really long time.
- Who I am now by Suchitra Sukumar (The Bombay Literary Magazine)
- Escape Plan by Amita Basu (The Dead Mule)
- Anu’s Beauty Parlour by Ritika Bali (Hammock Magazine)
- The Cherry Pond by Veena Narayan (The Bombay Literary Magazine)
- Something Big, Something Monumental by Subarna Mohanty (Hammock Magazine)
- Better Late Than Never by Amita Basu (Phoebe Journal)
Love,
Ashwini
