I went through a reading slump this past month. I think my anxiety was just too high for me to really be able to concentrate on anything for long, so I started thumbing through some different short story collections. The Beautiful Indifference by Sarah Hall is one of my favorites.
All the stories are centered around the concept of modern femininity and womanhood. They address love, life, and loss so beautifully. The stories range from the strange friendship between a bookish teenage girl and the local bully and her powerful family to an unsatisfied and stifled housewife's tentative entrance to an exclusive sex club. I was really enchanted with Sarah Hall's ability to make me feel the hollow, aching emotions her character's were experiencing with so few words.
If you're looking for some short stories to tide you over between work and travel this summer, may I strongly suggest these. You won't regret it.
