The Short Stories of Patricia Highsmith is a collection of short stories written by Patricia Highsmith, a widely-respected American writer. Over the course of her writing career, Highsmith has published over 20 novels and even more short stories, but her writing is also well received, having led to nearly just as many films based on her writing. She has written under pseudonyms as well, but her work has been widely acknowledged now, especially in the United States.
A lot of Highsmith’s literature is based off of existentialist writing and noir fiction, and her powerful treatment of her themes is obvious throughout all of her short stories in this collection. “The Heroine” is one of the short stories that won an award during Highsmith’s lifetime; it explores the theme of how easily one’s good intentions can be twisted into something much more harmful. “Where the Action Is” and “Mermaids on the Golf Course” are both short stories that discuss the serendipity of good things in life and the randomness of fate. The many other short stories in this collection, The Short Stories of Patricia Highsmith, explore many other themes through her artfully narrated writing and touchingly symbolic imagery.
