The Rainbow Stories is a collection of short stories about American culture[1] written by William T. Vollmann and published in 1989.

Written in the style of narrative journalism,[2] it was his second published fictional work, preceded by You Bright and Risen Angels.

[2] The book consists of thirteen interlocking stories (based on the colours of the rainbow) that range in scope from ancient Babylon to modern San Francisco.

[2][3][4][5] Steven Moore wrote of the book that "Vollmann's verbal prowess, empathy, and astonishing range put him in a class apart from his contemporaries.

"[6] Robert Rebein described the book as a "real breakthrough"[7] for Vollman, stating: "[Rainbow Stories is] a book that mixed reportorial and fictional techniques to powerfully evoke the lives of prostitutes and skinheads on the streets of San Francisco's Tenderloin district.