5 Short Stories for the Readers Who Are Short on Time

It’s difficult, even for the people who enjoy reading, to find time to read everyday. We fill our to-do lists with work, studies, family, friends, household chores, etc. Before we know it, it’s eleven o’clock at night, and we’re too tired to pick up our five-hundred-page novel that we started a month ago. If this sounds like you, don’t worry; I’ve got you!

If you only have five or ten minutes to read when sitting in a waiting room, taking a break from work, or even standing in the back of a long line at the grocery store, you can read a fun short story. Reading short stories is not only practical for a busy life but also makes you feel more accomplished about your reading journey; you can finish a story within a day rather than a month. Here are five short fiction stories that you might enjoy reading.

1. Bartleby, the Scrivener by Herman Melville

Set in the 1850s in New York City, this short story follows a simple lawyer who hires a scrivener named Bartleby. Bartleby isn’t like the other scriveners who work for him, though, and he slowly begins to disrupt the lawyer’s work by refusing to do simple tasks. Soon, it gets out of hand.

This is a classic read with thought-provoking themes, but it is longer than the short stories I am about to mention.

"I am a man who, from his youth upwards, has been filled with a profound conviction that the easiest way of life is the best."
Herman Melville, "Bartleby, the Scrivener"

2. The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe

Seeing as this is Edgar Allan Poe’s work, you can probably imagine its overall tone. It takes place in Italy during carnival season, but not everyone is carelessly enjoying the carnivals. Montresor is planning a murderous revenge against a man who has insulted him.

"I continued to smile in his face, and he did not understand that I was now smiling at the 
thought of what I planned for him…"
Edgar Allan Poe, "The Cask of Amontillado"

3. Désirée’s Baby by Kate Chopin

This narrative takes place in Louisiana before the Civil War and begins when Madame Valmondé goes to see her newborn grandson. Madame Valmondé’s daughter, Désirée, was adopted; Madame Valmondé’s husband found Désirée abandoned in front of their plantation when Désirée was a little girl.

Désirée is in high spirits when Madame Valmonde comes to visit. She adores her baby, and so does her husband, Armand Aubigny. Everything is perfect, but it doesn’t last long. When the baby is three months old, Armand begins acting strange, distant, and harsh towards Désirée and her son.

"He was reminded that she was nameless. What did it matter about a name when he could give her one of the oldest and proudest in Louisiana?"
Kate Chopin, "Désirée's Baby"

4. The Lady, or the Tiger by Frank R. Stockton

A barbaric king has a very interesting justice system. When someone is accused of a crime, he must stand in an arena that has two doors, and he has to choose which door to open. Behind one of them is a ferocious tiger, ready to kill him, and behind the other stands a beautiful woman. If he opens the door with the woman, he will survive and be given a grand wedding to marry that fair lady.

The king’s daughter falls in love with a man whom the king does not approve of, so he is punished by being forced to enter the arena.

"She loved him with an ardor that had enough of barbarism in it to make it exceedingly warm and strong."
Frank R. Stockton, "The Lady, or the Tiger"

5. The Scream by Rohinton Mistry

An old man tells you what his life is like living in an apartment with his family in his old age. He feels that no one cares for him or understands him. He complains about his aging body, and he keeps hearing mysterious screams throughout the night.

"Apathy is a sin. And yet, not one of them goes to help the screamer."
Rohinton Mistry, "The Scream"

Closing Thoughts

I hope you found this post helpful and will enjoy reading some of these narratives. Be sure to let me know about any other short stories you’ve read. What’s your favorite short story? Have you read any I included in this list? I’d love to hear your thoughts!