Short Story of the Week

Welcome to the Medical Clinic at the Interplanetary Relay Station | Hours Since the Last Patient Death: 0, Caroline M Yoachim (2016)

Each week, I’m selecting a short story to share with you. No more than 15 or so pages, each think of them as bite-sized entrées into a genre, author, or style.

Welcome to the Medical Clinic at the Interplanetary Relay Station | Hours Since the Last Patient Death: 0, Caroline M Yoachim (2016)

Ok, so this is a wild ride. It’s not Chekov, that’s for sure, but it’s unusual and interesting and boundary-pushing. It reminds me of something I might have read as a kid, in a really enjoyably silly way. I decided to include it in my list of short story recommendations for two reasons. One, because I love adding texture, and this is a great way to break up the ‘required reading’ classics. And two, because I’m fascinated by ergodic literature, and always on the lookout for texts doing interesting things with form. Does it holistically succeed? I’m not sure. However, I’m still glad to have come across it.