The Last Night by James Salter

I think I'm a rarity in that I really, really enjoy short stories. For some, they're just not substantial enough and therefore largely pointless, for others they are frustratingly underdeveloped. However, I see short stories as being an effective and enjoyable format for fiction. As John Connolly remarks, there is no need to justify and explain everything in a short story. I find that it is for this reason that short stories are often so inventive and effective. The author doesn't have to think about how his or her plot idea will have to progress over hundreds of pages and can instead focus singularly on their idea. John Connolly's short story collection, Nocturnes, is fantastic for this very reason, I think.

The Last Night by James Salter is an affecting, surprising and morbid story about Walter, a translator who's wife is dying of cancer. The story takes place on her last night at the end of which she will commit suicide with the help of Walter. The story has substantial twists and sets the scene for it very early on. The atmosphere is almost that of a horror story and the writing is succinct and effective. It's a short read and well worth it. If you'd rather not do the reading yourself, Thomas McGuane does an excellent reading in a New Yorker Fiction podcast, which includes an enlightening discussion of the story, too.