
Since I teach an Advanced Placement literature course, I deal with short stories quite a bit more than novels, though there are few pleasures in life that can match an epic day of reading a huge novel in its entirety. Some of my favorites are:
"The Yellow Wallpaper"
"Young Goodman Brown"
"Happy Endings"
"A Rose for Emily"
"Hills Like White Elephants"
"A Clean, Well-lighted Place"
"The Destructors"
"A Good Man is Hard to Find"
"Sweat"
I am finding that I love stories with strong female characters. The theme of my course is usually something to do with the fact that we are all the minoroty at some point, so this kind of story weaves in quite well. For the best of this bunch, do a feminist reading of "The Yellow Wallpaper" or a Freudian reading of "Young Goodman Brown." Compelling stuff.
My favourite, without a doubt, is Arthur Clarke's The Nine Billion Names of God. I came across it on Neil Gaiman, another one of my favourite authors,'s website. Phenomenal short story.
I'm a big Lovecraft fan too and I'd definately have to say he writes great short stories. There are several I would place in this category, though the names escape me at the moment.
Neil Gaiman's short stories are good too. I really enjoyed Big/Tall (At least I think that was the title of it).
Stephen King's new book of short stories is well-done as well.
So many choices.