"A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one." – George R. R. Martin
This one feels particularly timely given the national concern over illegal immigration.
The Long Mural by James Van Pelt (2023) — 7,080 words (about 28 minutes for the average reader)
From Issue 206 of Clarkesworld Magazine originally published November 2023
I started subscribing to Clarkesworld magazine again in January. This was an early favorite. How can a murder be temporary? Read and find out!
The Temporary Murder of Thomas Monroe by Tia Tashiro (2025) — 11,900 words (about 47 minutes for the average reader)
A classic short story from a modern master of the art.
A Small, Good Thing by Raymond Carver (1983) — 5,000 words (about 20 minutes for the average reader)
A Chinese woman arrives in Hollywood to make it big; she signs a contract but things don’t quite go to her liking, or her agent’s.
The Toll of the Snake by Grace P. Fong (2023) — 4,900 words (about 19 minutes for the average reader)
Clarkesworld magazine always has amazing stories. This one might be a little weird for those that grew up during the Cold War as it takes place in an old ICBM silo.
Silo, Sweet Silo by James Castles (2023) — 4,397 words (about 17 minutes for the average reader)
I’m a big fan of this author. Both of her novels (A Song for a New Day and We Are Satellites) are fantastic. Highly recommended. This story was rated the fourth best story of 2024 by Uncanny magazine readers. For me, it was the best of the top five stories selected by readers.
Signs of Life by Sarah Pinsker (2024) — 11,996 words (about 48 minutes for the average reader)
I used to be an Uber driver. Many riders asked me if I was ever afraid of someone getting in my car. I never was, but this amazing story may have changed my answer.
Your Rover Is Here by LP Kindred (2023) – 3,500 words (about 14 minutes for the average reader)
For “Throwback Thursday” I have a less well known story by the short story master that they named the award after. This one is from his collection The Four Million, so called because it takes place in New York City, which had four million residents at that time. A young man is led by destiny to the door of a damsel in distress. It has his trademark twist at the end. Enjoy!
The Green Door by O. Henry (1906) – 2,679 words (about 11 minutes for the average reader)
Today’s story comes from the amazing Uncanny Magazine. In it a scientist who used his son to collect data for an AI prison, goes to that prison to make amends for how that data collection affected his son.
SuperMAX by Daniel H. Wilson (2023) – 7,914 words (about 32 minutes for the average reader)
I first read this classic story in high school. It won the Hugo Award for Best Short Story in 1956. It is the story of a Jesuit priest who accompanies a mission to a remote star that expired in a supernova thousands of years ago. They are visiting the star system because a civilization lived there that was destroyed by the star’s explosion. But as the priest tells the story, he raises a surprising and important question.
The Star by Arthur C. Clarke (1955) – 2,432 words (about a ten minute read for the average reader)