More Rushmore Coming

From my earliest days as an insatiable reader, I've adored short stories. But until recently, my awareness of some of the critical elements common to great short stories hadn't kept pace with my love of this vital form of literature.  Happily, this shortcoming has been remedied a bit thanks to an Act Three friendship with a serious lifelong student of short stories. 

Starting with the first discussion of some short stories I attended about twelve years ago that this friend moderated, I could feel my discernment deepening. When was the last time you had a learning experience like this? For me, few things in life are as exhilarating. Although I knew short stories needed to do more with less, the subtle choices made by some masters of the form - word choice, tone, voice - had often eluded me before this astute reader and dedicated student began helping me see those things more clearly. 

Reflections From The Bell Curve: #2: The Mt. Rushmore Series

Soon after attending a workshop led by this friend earlier today, I exhumed the post above from my archives, the second iteration in my long-running Mt. Rushmore Series. Thirteen years ago, these four jumped to the front of my brain as some of my most revered short stories. But after almost twelve years of her able tutelage, I'm inclined to construct a second monument acknowledging what I've learned from my valued friend. This new memorial will not replace my original; I stand by those choices. But enshrining a story by some of the masters my friend has helped me better appreciate - Lauren Groff, Jhumpa Lahiri, William Trevor, to name a few - is now in order.

Construction has begun. In the meanwhile, I'd welcome hearing which short stories you'd put on your Mt. Rushmore.