Alice Munro Books In Order
Book links take you to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate I earn money from qualifying purchases.Publication Order of Standalone Novels
Publication Order of Short Stories/Novellas
Queenie | (1999) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Away from Her | (2007) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Office | (2015) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Publication Order of Short Story Collections
Dance of the Happy Shades | (1968) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Something I've Been Meaning to Tell You | (1974) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Beggar Maid | (1977) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Who Do You Think You Are? | (1977) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Moons of Jupiter | (1983) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Progress of Love | (1985) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Friend of My Youth | (1990) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Open Secrets | (1994) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Selected Stories | (1996) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Love of a Good Woman | (1998) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage | (2001) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
No Love Lost | (2003) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Vintage Munro | (2004) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Runaway | (2004) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Carried Away | (2006) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
View From Castle Rock | (2006) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Too Much Happiness | (2009) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
My Best Stories | (2009) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
New Selected Stories | (2011) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Dear Life | (2012) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Lying Under the Apple Tree | (2014) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Family Furnishings | (2014) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
A Wilderness Station | (2015) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Julieta | (2016) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Publication Order of Best American Short Stories Books
The Best Short Stories of 1915 | (1916) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best Short Stories of 1916 | (1916) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best Short Stories of 1917 | (1917) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best Short Stories of 1918 | (1918) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best Short Stories of 1919 | (1919) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best Short Stories of 1921 | (1921) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best Short Stories of 1922 | (1922) | |
The Best Short Stories of 1923 | (1923) | |
The Best Short Stories 1924 | (1924) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best Short Stories of 1925 | (1925) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best Short Stories 1926 | (1926) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best Short Stories 1927 | (1927) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best Short Stories of 1928 | (1928) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best Short Stories of 1929 | (1929) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best Short Stories 1930 | (1930) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best Short Stories 1931 | (1931) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best Short Stories of 1932 | (1932) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best Short Stories 1933 | (1933) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best Short Stories 1934 | (1934) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best Short Stories 1935 | (1935) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best Short Stories 1936 | (1936) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best Short Stories 1937 | (1937) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best Short Stories of 1938 | (1938) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
50 Best American Short Stories, 1915-1939 | (1939) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best Short Stories 1939 | (1939) | |
The Best Short Stories of 1940 | (1940) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best Short Stories 1941 | (1941) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1942 | (1942) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1943 | (1943) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1944 | (1944) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1945 | (1945) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1946 | (1946) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1947 | (1947) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1948 | (1948) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1949 | (1949) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1950 | (1950) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1951 | (1951) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1952 | (1952) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1953 | (1953) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1955 | (1955) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1956 | (1956) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1957 | (1957) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1958 | (1958) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1959 | (1959) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1960 | (1960) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1961 | (1961) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1962 | (1962) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1963 | (1963) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1964 | (1964) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1965 | (1965) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1966 | (1966) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1967 | (1967) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1968 | (1967) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories of 1969 | (1969) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1970 | (1970) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1971 | (1971) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1972 | (1972) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1973 | (1973) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1974 | (1974) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best of Best American Short Stories 1915-1950 | (1975) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1975 | (1975) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1976 | (1976) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1977 | (1977) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1978 | (1978) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1979 | (1979) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1980 | (1980) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1981 | (1981) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1982 | (1982) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1983 | (1983) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1984 | (1984) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1985 | (1985) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1986 | (1986) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1987 | (1987) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1988 | (1988) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1989 | (1989) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories of the Eighties | (1990) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1990 | (1990) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1991 | (1991) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1992 | (1992) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1993 | (1993) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1994 | (1994) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1995 | (1995) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1996 | (1996) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1997 | (1997) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1998 | (1998) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 1999 | (1999) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 2000 | (2000) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories of the Century | (2000) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 2001 | (2001) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 2002 | (2002) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 2003 | (2003) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 2004 | (2004) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 2005 | (2005) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 2006 | (2006) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 2007 | (2007) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best Short Stories of 1921, and the Yearbook of the American Short Story | (2007) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories1921 | (2007) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 2008 | (2008) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 2009 | (2009) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 2010 | (2010) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 2011 | (2011) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 2012 | (2012) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 2013 | (2013) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 2014 | (2014) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 2015 | (2015) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
100 Years of The Best American Short Stories | (2015) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 2016 | (2016) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 2017 | (2017) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 2018 | (2018) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 2019 | (2019) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 2020 | (2020) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 2022 | (2022) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Anthology series. |
Publication Order of The O. Henry Prize Anthology Books
The O. Henry Prize Stories 2003 | (2003) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The O. Henry Prize Stories 2005 | (2005) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The O. Henry Prize Stories 2006 | (2006) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The O. Henry Prize Stories 2007 | (2007) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
O. Henry Prize Stories 2008 | (2008) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The PEN/O. Henry Prize Stories 2009 | (2009) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
PEN/O. Henry Prize Stories 2010 | (2010) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The PEN/O. Henry Prize Stories 2011 | (2011) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The PEN/O. Henry Prize Stories: 2012 | (2012) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The PEN /O. Henry Prize Stories: 2012 | (2012) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The O. Henry Prize Stories 2013 | (2013) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The O. Henry Prize Stories 2014 | (2013) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The O. Henry Prize Stories 2015 | (2015) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The O. Henry Prize Stories 2016 | (2016) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The O. Henry Prize Stories 2017 | (2017) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The O. Henry Prize Stories 2018 | (2018) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Publication Order of Best Canadian Stories Books
00: Best Canadian Stories | (2000) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
01: Best Canadian Stories | (2002) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
03: Best Canadian Stories | (2003) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
04: Best Canadian Stories | (2004) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
05: Best Canadian Stories | (2005) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
06: Best Canadian Stories | (2006) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Publication Order of Anthologies
From Ink Lake | (1990) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Faber Book of Contemporary Canadian Short Stories | (1990) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Minerva Book of Short Stories 3 | (1991) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Short Stories 2001 | (2001) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Mystery Stories 2009 | (2009) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The PEN/O. Henry Prize Stories: 2012 | (2012) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
The Best American Essays 2013 | (2013) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Stories for Christmas and the Festive Season | (2022) | Hardcover Paperback Kindle |
Alice Munro is a short story writer who hails from Canada. Her contemporaries describe her as having revolutionized the art of writing short stories. Her short stories start from unexpected places and tend to move backward and forward in time. She was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2013 as a ‘master of the contemporary short story’. Other than the prestigious award, she has won several other accolades including the Governor General’s Award, the Man Booker International Prize, and the Giller Prize.
Early Life
Alice Ann Laidlaw was born on July 10 1931 in Wingham, Ontario, Canada. Her mother was a schoolteacher while her father was a fur farmer. She wrote and published her first story in 1950 while she was still a teenager. The story was ‘The Dimensions of a Shadow’, and she wrote the short story while undertaking a two-year scholarship at the University of Western Ontario.
While still at the university, where she was majoring in journalism and English, she also worked as a library clerk, a tobacco picker, and a waitress. She left the university in 1951 to marry James Munro, a student at the same university. The couple moved to West Vancouver where James had secured a job in a department store. The couple moved to Victoria in 1963 and opened the Munro’s Books, a large and independent bookstore that is still operational to this day.
The bookstore has grown to become one of the most magnificent bookstores in Canada. James Munro claimed that Alice began to write after reading the paperbacks in the bookstore. The couple stocked paperbacks in the bookstore and after reading some of them, she professed that she could write better books than those authors could. Alice Munro has not had any dealings with the bookstore for years now owing to her separation from her first husband in 1972.
Career
Her first collection of stories, ‘Dance of the Happy Shades’ was completed in 1968. The short stories’ collection won the Governor General’s Award, which was the highest literary award in Canada at the time. Her next collection of stories was the ‘Lives of Girls and Women’, which was completed in 1971. The collection earned her the Canadian Bookseller’s Award in the same year. In 1978, she published a collection of interlinked stories named ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ The collection earned her another Governor General’s Literary Award.
From the 1980’s, Munro has published a collection of short stories every four years. Her collections have been translated to at least thirteen languages. First versions of her work have appeared in various publications including The Paris Review, The Atlantic Monthly, The New Yorker, and Grand Street. One of her stories, ‘The Bear Came Over The Mountain’ was adapted for the screen in 2006. In addition, ‘Lives of Girls and Women’ was adapted for television in 1994 airing on CBC Television. Literary research into her works has also been undertaken since the 1970s to date. The first PhD thesis on her completed works at the time was published in 1972.
Early Works
‘The Dance of the Happy Shades’ written in 1968 was set in Ontario, Canada. The stories were set in an earlier time, probably in the 1940s or in the 1950s. The stories revolve around girls or young women who are the main protagonists in the tales. The females are usually at a point in their lives when they are becoming aware of the chaotic but powerful effect of sex. During this stage in their lives, they are also beginning to comprehend the complexity of gender-ascribed roles in the society.
‘Lives of Girls and Women’ is the author’s second published work. The stories are about the coming of age of the main character, Del Jordan. The character grows up in the outskirts of Ontario and comes of age in Jubilee, a southern Ontario town. Del is seen to be an outsider who is secretly bored with small town life. She does not want to acknowledge that there could be similarities between herself and her mother, who is also seeking to expand beyond the limited experiences in Jubilee. The collection of stories demonstrates many feminist ideas. Very few men play significant roles in the collection of stories.
Style of Writing
Munro begins most of her short stories with little indication of where the story will end up. The reader cannot presume the theme or the plot of the story while at the beginning. The reason for this is that Munro engineers the story in such a way that it moves off in unexpected directions. The reader is usually left pondering over something at the end of the story or sensing that the world is a confused and messy place. Furthermore, many of the titles to her short stories give little inclination as to what the story is actually about. The reader simply does not know what to expect at the beginning of the story or how he will feel at the end of it.
She also presents a strong regional focus, with most of her writings set in Huron County in Ontario. Most of her writings are about characters, mostly female, who confront deep-rooted traditions and beliefs. These beliefs usually revolve around gender roles. The stories tell of how these characters grapple with the role they are supposed to play in the society. Her male characters are usually average individuals who do not question the roles ascribed to them by society based on their gender.
A constant theme in Munro’s literary works is the dilemmas that young girls have to face when coming of age. The young girls have to come to terms with the realization that their gender dictates everything about them. The young girls are also forced to grapple with the realization that they may never get out of the small town. However, in recent works such as Runaway that was published in 2004, Munro has shifted focus to the emotional and physical problems that women have to endure when they are middle-aged.
Literary Accolades
Alice Munro won her first Governor General’s Award with the collection ‘Dance of the Happy Shades’ in 1968. She won her second Governor General’s Award in 1978 and won the award for a third time in 1986. She was awarded the Edward MacDowell Medal in 2006. Munro received the Man Booker International Prize in 2009 for her lifetime’s collection of short stories. In October 2013, Munro became the first Canadian in history and the thirteenth woman to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature.
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