A short story from beyond your usual bookshelf

Three literary magazines for discovering contemporary fiction and English translations without committing to a whole novel.

A short story can introduce a voice you would never have found by browsing familiar authors. These magazines offer different entrances: an editor’s recommendation, writing from a particular country, and work presented through translation. Look at who selected or translated the piece as well as who wrote it. Those choices are part of how a story reaches a new reader.

Try this first

Choose one story that fits the time you have. Read it before opening the author’s other work, then note a scene or turn of phrase that changed your impression. If a translation is involved, keep the translator’s name and the original language with your saved link. Follow the author or translator only after finishing.

Keep in mind

These publications also include excerpts, poetry, and essays, so check the label before choosing. Most of the linked reading is in English. An online text is available to read under its publisher’s conditions; it is not automatically available to copy or redistribute.