Edgar Allen Poe praised the form of the short story for its ability to produce what he called a singleness of effect. Short enough to be read in one sitting, a a whole short story (beginning, middle, and end) can be kept in a reader's mind all at once and can therefore be understood, felt, and contemplated more accurately in terms of the whole.
And that all sounds very nice. But it doesn't work for everyone, say for instance... me. Don't get me wrong; I can get plenty out of a good short story, but when push comes to shove I'll choose a longer work any day of the week and twice on Sunday.
The simplest reason for this is that a book, be it a novel or anything else, gives you MORE. More characters, more plot, more description, etc. There is an entire new world in which you can immerse yourself. And it lasts you longer. And even if one part doesn't strike you, another part might. There are so many devices, subjects, styles, and pieces of information found in just one book-- most people are bound to be able to relate to something, and most people are also bound to learn something they didn't know. These longer works are complex, like life, and this gives them value.
Short stories on the other hand, are as simple (and also as potentially powerful in their messages) as the firing of a gun. But like the firing of a gun, they are also hit or miss.
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