work by denis johnson
If good art is that which can hold in harmony the deepest sorrows and the most soaring joys, this story must be amongst the greatest. I could feel my whole self swell in tranquil knowing throughout this story– until I read the last line and the world twisted into something bewildering, unrecognisable in its familiarity.
good people by dfw
I am not sure yet, but I think it is always true that beauty makes you better. That good art is good for your character. There are some pieces which put this into question for me, but DFW's "Good People" isn't one of them. You will be better on the other side of this. This story has forcefully pushed me to goodness, then walked me hand-in-hand down the path.
the deAd by JAmes Joyce
I can't get away from this story. Every month or so its tender, numinous ending overwhelms me again, upends my day, fills me with questions and answers I don't want to ask or know. But this story, these words are impossible to quiet.
A clean, well-lighted plAce by eArnest hemingway
It fits in its form. Its simplicity begets its vast understanding. There's a sense, after these three short pages, that you really understand.