Where to Start?

Eight excellent, free short stories — plus a chance for a giveaway

Getting in to short stories? Start free on the internet.¹

“The Harvest” by Amy Hempel, Pif magazine

“To Build a Fire” by Jack London

“There Will Come Soft Rains” by Ray Bradbury

“The Overcoat” by Nikolai Gogol

This could be you if you read more. And lived by a lake. Photo: Death to Stock.

“The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas,” by Ursula K Le Guin²

“The Ones Who Stay and Fight” NK Jemisin, courtesy of Lightspeed Magazine³

“The Truth” by Stanisław Lem, MIT Press

“The Seventh Man” by Haruki Murakami, Granta

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Comment below which of these stories you have read, and what you thought! If five different people comment, I will randomly choose one commenter to gift a copy of one of my favorite short story collections: after the quake by Haruki Murakami.⁴

1. Specifically, free with the permission of the author, observing applicable copy rights.

2. This story appears in a copyrighted book, The Wind’s Twelve Quarters by the author. However, Le Guin has specifically never permitted this story to be protected by copyright.

3. A stunning response to Le Guin’s story.

4. Used in good condition from Thriftbooks — I’m not made of money!