『精選世界最短篇』

『精選世界最短篇』（The World’s Shortest Stories）收集了數十篇總字數在五十五字以內的極短篇。

想當然爾，字字斟酌是絕對必要的，有些作者還會利用標題與內文相呼應／對比的方式來闡述他的故事。

利用不到五十五字，卻能清楚交代『背景』、『角色』、『衝突』和『結局』已屬不易，在這麼短的“段落”內還能鋪陳出有寓意的作品更是難能可貴。

於此摘錄一篇我非常欣賞的極短篇全文：

The Bus Station

“One ticket to Hell, please.”
“I’m sorry, all departures going south are booked up.”
“Anything else leaving tonight?”
“We have one bus heading in the opposite direction.”
“Any seats available?”
“Plenty.”
“Very long ride?”
“No, not really, but you might want to take a good book along. I’ve heard it’s a mighty lonely trip.”