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In anticipation of the upcoming Short Story Masterclasses, here's a video guide on the art of reading short imaginative literature.

  • 0:00 how to read short stories
  • 0:24 why every author is different 
  • 0:50 learning to read is learning to communicate
  • 1:18 all talk is self-talk
  • 2:10 short stories as training ground for empathy
  • 2:20 how to read a Chekhov short story
  • 2:30 how to read a Hemingway short story
  • 3:00 the art of irony
  • 3:20 empathy as telepathic power
  • 3:53 how to read a Turgenev short story
  • 4:42 how to read a Borges short story 
  • 5:08 how to read a Joyce short story 
  • 5:33 how to read a D.H. Lawrence short story
  • 5:52 the practicalities of reading short fiction (quick immersion)
  • 6:20 slow reading and rereading 
  • 7:00 guiding questions for when reading short fiction
  • 8:35 the truth of poetic fiction and short literature 
  • 9:08 how to befriend the characters
  • 9:50 Aristotle and Freytag's Pyramid
  • 10:16 inciting incident, rising action, and conflict
  • 11:44 a metaphor for short fiction (diamonds and oranges)
  • 13:50 about the Short Story Masterclasses

Happy reading, everybody!

Files

Previews only

How to Read Short Stories

📚 Read the Great Books with Hardcore Literature: https://www.patreon.com/hardcoreliterature/about ———————————— 🎙️ https://open.spotify.com/show/70IZA24... (Subscribe to the Hardcore Literature Podcast on iTunes & Spotify) 🏫 https://hardcore-university.teachable... (Hardcore University, Exam Preparation Courses) ✍🏼 https://benjaminmcevoy.com My Personal Website ———————————— Hardcore Literature Lecture Series ———————————— 📔Contents Page: https://cutt.ly/CmNhRY3 🎖️ War and Peace: https://cutt.ly/U3nzGma 🎭 Shakespeare Project: https://cutt.ly/B3nxHH7 🐳 Moby Dick: https://cutt.ly/K3nzVKf ☄️ Blood Meridian: https://cutt.ly/P3nz6Qp 🍂 Wuthering Heights: https://cutt.ly/N3nxxYt 🇮🇪 Ulysses: https://cutt.ly/x3nxQmN 🚂 Anna Karenina: https://cutt.ly/vmNhAWv 💀 Crime and Punishment: https://cutt.ly/rmNhFt5 ⚓ Persuasion: https://cutt.ly/amNhX7b ☕ In Search of Lost Time: https://cutt.ly/5mNh8oD ⚔️ The Hero’s Journey: https://cutt.ly/UmNjrE3 🌸 Siddharta: https://cutt.ly/YmNjuzi 🎠 Don Quixote: https://cutt.ly/cmNjoK4 ❤️Shakespeare’s Sonnets: https://cutt.ly/nmNlW7V 🇫🇷 Les Misérables: https://cutt.ly/J3YixoA 🕯️ The Turn of the Screw: https://cutt.ly/nToAQQ3 🖋️ Dickens Seasonal Read: https://cutt.ly/9ToAybt 📖 Middlemarch Serial Reading: https://tinyurl.com/45rv965c ———————————— Happy reading! 0:00 how to read short stories 0:24 why every author is different 0:50 learning to read is learning to communicate 1:18 all talk is self-talk 2:10 short stories as training ground for empathy 2:20 how to read a Chekhov short story 2:30 how to read a Hemingway short story 3:00 the art of irony 3:20 empathy as telepathic power 3:53 how to read a Turgenev short story 4:42 how to read a Borges short story 5:08 how to read a Joyce short story 5:33 how to read a D.H. Lawrence short story 5:52 the practicalities of reading short fiction (quick immersion) 6:20 slow reading and rereading 7:00 guiding questions for when reading short fiction 8:35 the truth of poetic fiction and short literature 9:08 how to befriend the characters 9:50 Aristotle and Freytag's Pyramid 10:16 inciting incident, rising action, and conflict 11:44 a metaphor for short fiction (diamonds and oranges) 13:50 about the Short Story Masterclasses

Comments

Nikki H

This is my absolute favorite video Ben. So many gems!

Bill Freeman

Ben - Are the Short Story Masterclasses part of the Hardcore Literature Book Club or a separate book club?

Fiona Wang

I have been putting off reading poetry and short stories. This week I finally made up my mind and ordered Turgenev's "A Sportsman's Notebook" and I can't wait! Interestingly, when you talked about Hemingway in this video, I suddenly recall a short story of his that left a strong impression on me when I first read it in high school. I don't recall the name or the content of the story, but a quick Google search reveals that it was "Hills like White Elephants." I am so going to reread it. As I am currently in a very different mind state than I was in high school, I am curious to see how I will respond to the story 7 years later. Thanks for helping me make the connection!

hardcoreliterature

That's amazing to hear, Fiona!! Oh, yes, "Hills like White Elephants" is a really popular high school set text. Unfortunately, being so mature, so subtle, and, quite frankly, traumatic, I think it's lost on many high school students. Though I'm not surprised it left a powerful impression on you. I might say, along with 'The Snows of Kilimanjaro' it's Hemingway's best short story!