In the publishing world, anthology refers to the certain amount of literary works that are being compiled by a person and produced in a single work. They are like the cream of the crop of literature. Imagine buying one book and end up getting more than one story? It would be the best thing ever! However, they sometimes become underrated due to the high numbers of series and stand-alone novels in the market.
Anthology might be frequently overlooked but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t as great the others. In fact, the numbers of anthologies containing either or both poetry or short stories are rising as of the 20th century. The increasing number of anthologies is directly proportional to the readers. Hence, anthology is not dead because it continues to thrive and bring a good impact to the readers’ lives.
If you want to dive into the amazing world of anthologies this fall, well today’s your lucky day! Provided below are the best anthologies that you might want to check out.
Smoke and Mirrors: Short Fiction and Illusions by Neil Gaiman
One of the most patronized anthologies in different genres of literature was published in 1998 in the US and 1999 in the UK, which is Smoke and Mirrors: Short Fiction and Illusions by Neil Gaiman. It contains a handful of beautifully written poems and short stories that are conquering fantasy, horror, comedy, sci-fi, and poetry. It was translated into different languages, including German, Polish, Hebrew, Hungarian, and more. Most of the contents of this book are already reprints from other references, like other anthologies, collated works, and magazines. The title of each story or poem in the collection includes The Wedding Present, Don’t Ask Jack, The Goldfish Pool and Other Stories, The White Road, The Price, Nicholas Was, and more.
Straight from My Heart: Journeys of Hope, Love, and Peace by Jacqui DeLorenzo
Jacqui DeLorenzo’s book of collected poems and true stories titled Straight from My Heart: Journeys of Hope, Love, and Peace was published in 2012 by iUniverse. It was produced by the brilliant mind and talent of a woman who lent her hand to others, in order for them to unravel their real selves. The book contains the personal journeys of DeLorenzo and the people around her as they create great impact on each other’s lives, as well as the readers’ lives. These tales will definitely bring you hope and ignite your bravery during the difficult times in your life or when you are overwhelmed with grief due to the loss of a loved one. Moreover, the book will help you get a better grasp about life and how it continues even when on is no longer on this Earth.
Meet Cute: Some People Are Destined to Meet by Jennifer L. Armentrout
In 2018, HMH Books for Young Readers published the YA anthology Meet Cute: Some People Are Destined to Meet by Jennifer L. Armentrout. It is a collection of short stories that showcase tales about the first encounters of people written by some of the remarkable young adult authors of this generation, including Katie Cotugno, Kass Morgan, Katharine McGee, Nina LaCour, and a whole lot more! These tales truly bring the readers crashing waves of romance, humor, heartbreak, and wit all at once. This book will definitely bring you to either believe in destiny, good fortune, love at first sight, or not — each romance must have a starting line.
Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse by Stephen King
San Francisco: Nightshade Book published the anthology of Stephen King titled Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse in 2008. It is under the genres science fiction and dystopia for its subject is definitely one of the most common themes of sci-fi, which is the end of the world. It is composed of 22 tales, along with an introduction from its editor John Joseph Adams. The book examines a lot of questions from different fields, such as science, psychology, and philosophy, regarding the meaning of keeping humans in the wake of the apocalypse. Because of the brilliance of this anthology, it received a lot of positive response from critics. The tales in the book are authored by some of the best writers, like George R. R. Martin, M. Rickert, Orson Scott Card, Stephen King himself, and a lot more.
Alex Writes 