Riot Recommendation: What’s Your Favorite Short Story Collection by Women?

This Riot Recommendation is sponsored by Flatiron Books.

The women in Lara Williams’ debut story collection, A Selfie as Big as the Ritz, navigate the tumultuous interval between early twenties and middle age. In the title story, a relationship implodes against the romantic backdrop of Paris. In “One of Those Life Things,” a young woman struggles to say the right thing at her best friend’s abortion. In “Treats,” a single woman comes to terms with her loneliness. As Williams’ characters attempt to lean in, fall in love, hold together a family, fend off loneliness, and build a meaningful life, we see them alternating between expectation and resignation, giddiness and melancholy, the rollercoaster we all find ourselves on.

From Roxane Gay’s wonderfully titled Difficult Women to the hilarious collection American Housewife by Helen Ellis women are writing fantastic short story collections. We try to read them all, since we look forward to reading about as many types of women as possible, which makes our list of favorites excellently long! But we want to hear from you so tell us in the comments below: What’s your favorite short story collection by women?