Can you recommend some from 'Seven Contemporary Short Novels'?

Sure. 'The Great Gatsby' by F. Scott Fitzgerald is a great short contemporary novel. It explores themes of wealth, love, and the American Dream in the 1920s. Another one is 'Animal Farm' by George Orwell, which is an allegorical novel about power and corruption in society.

Common themes might include the exploration of human relationships. For instance, how people interact with family, friends, or strangers in modern society.

Sure. 'The Great Gatsby' is a great one from contemporary novels. It explores themes of wealth, love, and the American Dream.

Then there is 'The Joys of Motherhood' by Buchi Emecheta. It tells the story of a Nigerian woman's life, her struggles, hopes, and the complex relationships within her family and society. It offers a powerful look at the experiences of women in African cultures.

Sure. 'A Discovery of Witches' is a great one. It has a unique blend of magic, history, and romance. The story follows a witch who discovers an ancient manuscript and gets involved with a vampire.

'Well Met' by Jen DeLuca is a great choice too. It's set at a Renaissance Faire and the romance between the main characters is both charming and full of the magic of that setting. The characters are well - developed and the story is very engaging.

Sure. 'The Kiss Quotient' by Helen Hoang is a great start. It has a unique plot about a woman on the autism spectrum who hires an escort to teach her about sex and relationships, and it turns into a really sweet love story.

One great contemporary Hindi short story is 'Kafan' by Munshi Premchand. It's a powerful story that delves into the poverty and harsh realities of life. The characters in it are vividly drawn, and it makes you think about the social inequalities.

There's also 'The Polar Express' which has been made into a movie but started as a short story. It's about a boy who takes a magical train ride to the North Pole on Christmas Eve. This story is full of wonder and captures the magic and mystery that surrounds Christmas, making it a beloved contemporary Christmas short story.

There's 'A Good Man Is Hard to Find' by Flannery O'Connor. It starts as a normal story about a family trip but quickly turns into a horror - filled encounter with a criminal. Also, Stephen King has some excellent contemporary - ish short horror works. For example, 'Children of the Corn' is a creepy short story about a town ruled by sinister children. And Junji Ito's short horror stories, like 'Tomie', are very popular. Ito's unique art style and disturbing storylines make his works stand out in the contemporary horror genre.