These eight stories are made from our Western Frontier as it was in a past as near as yesterday and almost as by-gone as the Revolution; so swiftly do we proceed. They belong to each other in a kinship of life and manners, and a little through the nearer tie of having here and there a character in common. Thus they resemble faintly the separate parts of a whole, and gain, perhaps, something of the invaluable weight of length; and they have been received by my closest friends with suspicion. ...When our national life, our own soil, is so rich in adventures to record, what need is there for one to call upon his invention save to draw, if he can, characters who shall fit these strange and dramatic scenes? One cannot improve upon such realities. If this fiction is at all faithful to the truth from which it springs, let the thanks be given to the patience and boundless hospitality of the Army friends and other friends across the Missouri who have housed my body and instructed my mind. And if the stories entertain the ignorant without grieving the judicious I am content.
In 1918 the Society of Arts and Sciences established the O. Henry Memorial Awards to reward the very best short stories published during the previous year with cash prizes. 1921 was a particularly productive year with sterling and brilliantly varied examples of the art of short story writing as are included here. The selection committee struggled to agree on these, but finally, here they are for us to enjoy and record. The length varies but most are sufficiently long for a reader to get their teeth into and enjoy. The stories are listed in a rough order of how they were judged, but all are excellent. Note that one story, 'Martin Gerrity Gets Even' actually had two authors, Courtney Ryley Cooper, and Leo F. Creagan but only one is able to be credited
The pedigrees of our county families, arranged in diagrams on the pages of county histories, mostly appear at first sight to be as barren of any touch of nature as a table of logarithms. But given a clue—the faintest tradition of what went on behind the scenes, and this dryness as of dust may be transformed into a palpitating drama. Out of such pedigrees and supplementary material most of the following stories have arisen and taken shape.
These 37 short stories were authored by John Habberton (1842–1921), an American writer. He spent nearly twenty years as the literary and drama critic for the New York Herald, but he is best known for his stories about early California life, many of which were collected in this 1880 book.
These essays, based on Hawthorne’s stay in England from 1853 to 1857 as American Consul in Liverpool, were first published in the form of a series of travel articles for The Atlantic Monthly.In these writings, he displays his humor, his empathetic nature, his pride in his country, and sometimes his sharp judgment of others. He shares with us the difficulties of being a consul in the 1850’s, takes us on a tour with him through rural England and Scotland, shows us the splendors of London, and the horrors of the poverty that so many suffered.
In the course of a number of visits to Constantinople, I became much interested in the tales that are told in the coffee houses. These are usually little more than rooms, with walls made of small panes of glass. The furniture consists of a tripod with a contrivance for holding the kettle, and a fire to keep the coffee boiling. A carpeted bench traverses the entire length of the room. This is occupied by turbaned Turks, their legs folded under them, smoking nargilehs or chibooks or cigarettes, and sipping coffee. A few will be engaged in a game of backgammon, but the majority enter into conversation, at first only in syllables, which gradually gives rise to a general discussion. Finally, some sage of the neighborhood comes in, and the company appeals to him to settle the point at issue. This he usually does by telling a story to illustrate his opinion. Some of the stories told on these occasions are adaptations of those already known in Arabic and Persian literature, but the Turkish mind gives them a new setting and a peculiar philosophy. They are characteristic of the habits, customs, and methods of thought of the people, and for this reason seem worthy of preservation.
Volume 2 of a ten volume collection of amusing tales, observations and anecdotes by America's greatest wordsmiths. This work includes selections by such household favorites as Ambrose Bierce, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Mark Twain and Bret Harte.
This is a volume of short works by Leonid Andreyev.
This 1898 collection of thirteen previously published articles exhibits the acute perception of one of the most popular writers of the late 19th-early 20th centuries. “These "Tales of the Trail" are based upon actual facts which came under the personal observation of the author… and will form another interesting series of stories of that era of great adventures, when the country west of the Missouri was unknown except to the trappers, hunters, and army officers.” Henry Inman (1837 – 1899) was an American soldier, frontiersman, and author. He served in the military during the Indian campaigns and the American Civil War, having earned distinction for gallantry on the battlefield. He was commissioned lieutenant general during the Indian wars. He settled in Kansas and worked as a journalist and author of short stories and books of the plains and western frontier.
The Mudfog Papers was written by Victorian era novelist Charles Dickens and published from 1837–38 in the monthly literary serial Bentley's Miscellany, which he then edited. They were first published as a book as 'The Mudfog Papers and Other Sketches. The Mudfog Papers relates the proceedings of the fictional 'The Mudfog Society for the Advancement of Everything', a Pickwickian parody of the British Association for the Advancement of Science founded in York in 1831, one of the numerous Victorian learned societies dedicated to the advancement of Science. Like The Pickwick Papers, The Mudfog Papers claim affinity with Parliamentary reports, memoirs, and posthumous papers. The serial was illustrated by George Cruikshank. The fictional town of Mudfog was based on Chatham in Kent, where Dickens spent part of his youth. Mudfog was described by Dickens as being the town where Oliver Twist was born and spent his early years when the story first appeared in 'Bentley's Miscellany' in February 1837, making it a continuation of The Mudfog Papers, but this allusion was removed when the story was printed in book form. At the conclusion of his first contribution, about the mayor of the provincial town of Mudfog, Dickens explains that "this is the first time we have published any of our gleanings from this particular source," referring to 'The Mudfog Papers'. He also suggests that "at some future period, we may venture to open the chronicles of Mudfog."
True love can survive anything. Or can it? Four popular authors were lunching with an editor and the question came up: "What mental and emotional reaction would a man and a woman undergo, linked together by a ten-foot chain, for three days and nights?" The 4 very popular authors each had strong but divergent opinions of what would happen to such a couple chained together for 3 days and nights. The result was these fascinating stories. Does true love scoff at the small difficulty of constant proximity? Does being 'too close' become an acid that eats away even the bonds of love? What do YOU think would happen if you were to write such a story? Read and find out what these popular and creative authors think.
Humorous, ironic, and sometimes cynical observations of life in 1915 from Canadian humourist Stephen Leacock.
Buff: A Collie and Other Dog-Stories is one of many popular books written by Albert Payson Terhune that have delighted dog lovers for decades. Terhune loved dogs, and he bred and raised collies at his Sunnybank Kennels. Terhune sometimes included difficult passages in his stories, and he did not always conclude with the typical "happy ending"--but his passion for dogs was always clearly evident in his novels. An excerpt from the Foreword to this book in which Terhune describes the nature of a dog:
"Service that asks no price; forgiveness free
For injury or for injustice hard.
Stanch friendship, wanting neither thanks nor fee
Save privilege to worship and to guard:--That is their creed."
A series of tales, poignant as well as comic, set in the Jewish East End of London by the writer known as the "Dickens of the ghetto"
This is a collection of ten humorous short stories
The Sunny Side is a collection of short stories and essays by A. A. Milne. Though Milne is best known for his classic children's books, especially Winnie The Pooh, he also wrote extensively for adults, most notably in Punch, to which he was a contributor and later Assistant Editor. The Sunny Side collects his columns for Punch, which include poems, essays and short stories, from 1912 to 1920. Wry, often satirical and always amusingly written, these pieces poke fun at topics from writing plays to lying about birdwatching. They vary greatly in length so there is something for everyone.
The Autobiography of a Slander exposes the consequences of reckless words or, even worse, intentionally disparaging words. In this moral tale, told from the point of view of "the slander", Edna Lyall (pseudonym used by Ada Ellen Bayley) reveals her ideals and goals in life and relationships.
Twenty-two short stories by Arnold Bennett, mainly set in the 'Five Towns', Bennett's name for the pottery manufacturing towns of the English midlands
In this collection of short stories, Susan Glaspell examines the unique character of America and its people.
Selma Lagerlöf was born in Vaermland, Sweden, in 1858 and enjoyed a long and very successful career as a writer, receiving the Nobel-Price in Literature in 1909. She died in Vaermland in 1940. Invisible Links (Osynliga länkar) is a collection of short stories with an underlying theme about the links that influence and guide people’s actions and lives. It was first published in 1894 and the English translation in 1895. The stories are often set in Lagerloef’s Vaermland, but they also depict legends and history of Sweden, and some have connections to other works by Lagerloef. Invisible Links is a good introduction to the writings of Selma Lagerloef.
Action and adventure short stories of men and animals in the wild.
This is a collection of short stories and poems by Myrtle Reed. Many of the stories are short romances, and they share the unique, nostalgic, sometimes melancholy atmosphere so characteristic of Myrtle Reed's stories.
A collection of short stories set in the American West at the end of the 19th century.
This is Edith Wharton's second published collection of short stories (1901). One of these seven stories, "Copy: A Dialogue," is written as a short play. The role of Hilda is read by Arielle Lipshaw, and the role of Ventnor by Mark F. Smith.
In 1904, Margaret Nevinson, a respectable lady and active suffragette, joined the board of guardians in Hampstead Heath. The guardians had responsibility over the parish workhouse. In the UK, before the 1930s, one could not receive welfare assistance unless he or she entered the workhouse. A house for which one had to work. The conditions were so poor, sometimes even poorer then conditions in prison. The workhouse inspired many novels, the most famous is Oliver Twist. This collection of short stories is about the horrors Margaret saw, chiefly about things women had to endure. A married woman collected money and found a house for her and her children, but could not leave the workhouse as she was, by law, "the property of her husband." This particular story was adapted from her one-act play "In The Workhouse" which helped change that law only two years later. In another story, a smart lady who studied at the University Of Cambridge sinks into depression after the death of her husband and finds herself drunk at the workhouse. In 26 tales, Nevinson details the horrors of the system, one after the other, in an engaging and elegant style which appealed to the public. This book is perfect for fans of Charles Dickens, and for all those who love feminism and social history.
More stories by Canadian Stephen Leacock. Some of these stories carry over characters introduced in Further Foolishness. Some stories are humourous; some are more thoughtful. It helps to be familiar with WWI-era European politics to catch much of the humour.
Brief plot lines of these 16 stories by Nobel Prize winning author John Galsworthy:
01, 02, 03 "A Feud" The breaking of an engagement ignites a feud.
04 "The Man Who Kept His Form" Ruding’s financial prospects disappoint. He adjusts.
05 "A Hedonist" Still single at 55, Vaness declares his love to a woman, 26.
06 "Timber" Hirries takes a celebratory afternoon walk in his forest.
07 "Santa Lucia" Old Trevillian recalls a past attraction begun at a casino.
08 "Blackmail" Money given to a needy woman leads to a blackmail threat.
09 "The Broken Boot" An impoverished actor chances upon an old acquaintance.
10 "Stroke of Lightning" Besotted by an extramarital relationship, Frank goes to extremes.
11 "Virtue" Mellesh pays a “working girl’s” fine and tells his wife.
12 "Conscience" A staff writer refuses to continue to ghostwrite.
13 "Salta Pro Nobis" Terrified as her execution for treason nears, she dances.
14 "Philanthropy" A writer tries to cope with an insufferable alcoholic.
15 "A Long-ago Affair" When 16 he was infatuated with an attractive widow.
16 "Acme" A destitute author writes a movie script for his own amusement.
17 "Late--299" Released from prison, the doctor goes about with a “peculiar smile”.
18, 19 "Had a Horse" Jimmy, a bookie, accepts a racehorse in payment of gambling debts.
Included herein are 35 charming short stories or humorous sketches, some written as exercises for the literary Semi-Colon Club of Cincinnati which Stowe belonged to for years, others published in magazines of the time, and 7 religious poems. Stowe honed her expressive skills on many of these before writing her first serious novel, Uncle Tom's Cabin, and 30 other books that followed. They showcase her considerable skill even as a young writer, and she made good money doing it, often supporting her family. This collection, named after a flower native to the east coast, likely the Anemone hepatica, or 'May flower', should not to be confused with another collection by Stowe, The Mayflower, which provides sketches of several descendants of the Pilgrims.
Thirteen short stories by one of the most famous writers in his day. Robert Barr was a British Canadian short story writer and novelist, born in Glasgow, Scotland. In London of the 1890s Barr became a more prolific author - publishing a book a year - and was familiar with many of the best selling authors of his day, including Bret Harte and Stephen Crane. Most of his literary output was of the crime genre, then quite in vogue. When Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories were becoming well known, Barr published in the Idler the first Holmes parody, "The Adventures of Sherlaw Kombs" (1892), a spoof that was continued a decade later in another Barr story, "The Adventure of the Second Swag" (1904)(For these two stories, see in LibriVox Barr's The Triumphs of Eugène Valmont). Despite the jibe at the growing Holmes phenomenon Barr and Doyle remained on very good terms. Doyle describes him in his memoirs Memories and Adventures as, "a volcanic Anglo - or rather Scot American, with a violent manner, a wealth of strong adjectives, and one of the kindest natures underneath it all."
F. Anstey was the nom de plume of Thomas Anstey Guthrie, a Londoner who was trained for the bar but found success as a writer of humorous pieces for Punch and humorous novels. Mr. Punch's Model Music Hall is a collection of humorous pieces written for Punch, divided into songs and dramas. In his usual fashion, Mr. Anstey captured the tone of his times and then exaggerated whatever was already absurd to entertain and give pointed commentary at the same time.
A ghost story and love story all at once, set in medieval Portugal. Don Ruy is in love with Dona Leonor, but her husband has guessed his feelings and hatches a plan. Don Ruy rides right into a trap, but on the way, a dead man joins him and saves his life.
This is a collection of Christmas short stories and poems by Eugene Field, published in 1912. The stories beautifully evoke an old-fashioned spirit of Christmas, each presenting a different angle of this special holiday.
Herman Cyril McNeile, better known as Sapper, was one of England’s most popular fiction writers during the period between World Wars I and II. He was a soldier, and his early writings mostly concerned war and the way war influenced the lives of his main characters. Because British officers were prohibited from publishing under their own names, he used the pseudonym Sapper. His best known works are ten thrillers featuring Bulldog Drummond.
Sapper also wrote a great many other novels and short stories. The Dinner Club begins with each of six men, the members of the club, telling a gripping story that relates specifically to his particular line of work (the first six chapters). All but one of the chapters that follow feature different characters. Yet to greater and lesser degrees they develop themes introduced in the first half of the book by the members of The Dinner Club. (There's also not a little romance ...)
Baroness Emma Orczy (full name: Emma ("Emmuska") Magdolna Rozália Mária Jozefa Borbála Orczy de Orczi) (September 23, 1865 – November 12, 1947) was a British novelist, playwright and artist of Hungarian noble origin. She was most notable for her series of novels featuring the Scarlet Pimpernel.
Castles in the Air, a short novel or perhaps more like a collection of short stories with memories of a French rogue in the early 19th century Paris, was published in 1921 and about it I quote from the foreword: "In very truth my good friend Ratichon is an unblushing liar, thief, a forger--anything you will; his vanity is past belief, his scruples are non-existent. How he escaped a convict settlement it is difficult to imagine, and hard to realize that he died--presumably some years after the event recorded in the last chapter of his autobiography--a respected member of the community, honoured by that same society which should have raised a punitive hand against him."
John Charles Dent, the author of the following remarkable stories, was born in Kendal, Westmorland, England, in 1841. His parents emigrated to Canada shortly after that event, bringing with them, of course, the youth who was afterwards to become the Canadian author and historian. Mr. Dent received his primary education in Canadian schools, and afterwards studied law, becoming in due course a member of the Upper Canada Bar. He only practised for a few years, then returned to England to pursue a literary career, writing mostly for periodicals. After remaining in England for several years, Mr. Dent and his family moved to Boston, in America, for about two years. But he finally returned to Canada, accepting a journalistic position in Toronto. Mr. Dent proceeded to write 'The Canadian Portrait Gallery', which ran to four large volumes, 'The Last Forty Years: Canada since the Union of 1841', and a 'History of the Rebellion in Upper Canada'.
This collected work of his short fiction, contributed by their author at considerable intervals to different periodicals, was published posthumously. The stories themselves are delightfully anchored in the physical geography of Upper Canada (or in the case of 'Gagtooth's Image', Illinois), and have a mystical and spooky air about them.
Published in 1908, this is a further collection of twelve humorous short stories about English school boys. The author wrote two other books in this series: The Human Boy (1900) and The Human Boy And The War (1916). Eden Phillpotts was popular with the reading public and wrote prolifically novels, short stories, poetry, plays, and nonfiction.
Harper's Young People was an illustrated weekly publication for children includes delightful serialized and one-off short stories, tales from history, poetry, puzzles and fun. This 16th issue of the serial, published on February 17, 1880, features stories of a baby saved from a flood, a lesson in the evils of shoplifting, a profile of the wild boar, a beloved child lost and then found with aid from birds, and much, much more. This serial was published by Harper & Brothers, known today for their other publications Harper's Bazaar and Harper's Magazine. Summary by Jill Engle
Proverbs 31:10-11 says, "Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil." (KJV) With this in mind, George MacDonald gives us the short story of a young and aspiring Scottish poet named Hector.
Unhappy wife leaves marriage of convenience for another man, the couple running away to the Dakota prairie to set up housekeeping. All seems romantically well... until the ex shows up. Surprisingly modern (if a little theatrical) novella from the early 1900's. From the posthumous collection of Lillibridge short stories, A Breath of Prairie, 1911.
This is a collection of 14 of William le Queux' best mystery stories.
This book presents a number of short, comedic sketches of a country life in middle America in the late 1800s. The hilarious twists and turns endear our adorable, naive married couple to the reader; and the orphan servant Pomona - dear, odd, funny Pomona! - is the focus of several of the stories. Imagine a honeymoon in a lunatic asylum, and you’ve got Rudder Grange!
Harper's Young People, an illustrated weekly publication for children, includes serialized and one-off short stories, tales from history, poetry, puzzles, and other fun. This 23rd issue of the serial was published on April 6th, 1880, and its entertaining pages contain the continuing adventures of a young sailor moving up in the ranks, a Swiss toy story, instructions on crafting a sun dial and a model boat, animal shenanigans of all sorts, and many more tales and tidbits young readers will enjoy. This periodical was published by Harper & Brothers, known today for their other publications Harper's Bazaar and Harper's Magazine.
A series of short stories about love and the process of courtship.
This is a volume of very cute short stories. Miss Mink for instance invites a lonely soldier to her place for dinner and realises that with this one man the entire world walked into her front door. The other stories are connected by their southern themes but are otherwise entirely different.
Harper's Young People upon its first publication in 1879 was an illustrated weekly publication containing delightful serialized stories, short stories, fiction and nonfiction, anecdotes, jokes, artwork, craft projects, and more for children. This eighth issue of the serial was published on December 23, 1879 and contained expanded content and improvements to the printed format. Published by Harper & Brothers, known today for their other publications Harper's Bazaar and Harper's Magazine.
Harper's Young People was an illustrated weekly publication for children containing delightful serialized stories, short stories, fiction and nonfiction, poetry, craft projects and more. This 12th issue of the serial, published on January 20, 1880, features stories of narrow escapes and rescues, new friendships, enchanted timepieces, arctic wildlife, archaeological discoveries, an astronomy lesson, and a picturesque sail down the Nile river. This serial was published by Harper & Brothers, known today for their other publications Harper's Bazaar and Harper's Magazine.
Harper's Young People was an illustrated weekly publication for children containing delightful serialized stories, short stories, fiction and nonfiction, poetry, and more. This 15th issue of the serial, published on February 10, 1880, features stories of Valentine's Day generosity, a royal child wedding, a hero dog, and how our modern calendar came to be. This serial was published by Harper & Brothers, known today for their other publications Harper's Bazaar and Harper's Magazine.
Harper's Young People, an illustrated weekly publication for children, includes serialized and one-off short stories, tales from history, poetry, puzzles, and other fun. This 24th issue of the serial was published on April 13th, 1880 and in its pages it contains the continuing story of a young sailor now traversing the Sargasso Sea, the tale of the daring escape of two rebels with the help of a clever and brave hero, an account of the early life of George Washington, a dip in an aquarium containing some of the sea's most amazing creatures, and much more. This periodical was published by Harper & Brothers, known today for their publications Harper's Bazaar and Harper's Magazine.
Four short stories by Mary Hallock Foote (1847–1938), an American author and illustrator. She is best known for her illustrated short stories and novels portraying life in the mining communities of the turn-of-the-century American West. She is famous for her stories of place, in which she portrayed the rough, picturesque life she experienced and observed in the old West, especially that in the early mining towns. She wrote several novels, and illustrated stories and novels by other authors for various publishers. She died at age 90. Her legacy in American history is as a stalwart of the American Old West and a teller of its stories. Her work—the numerous stories for books and periodicals, with her drawings and woodcut illustrations; the correspondence from western outposts; her novels and nonfiction—gained her notice as a skilled observer of the frontier
Five stories of Army life in the mid to late 19th century. Charles King (1844 – 1933) was a United States soldier and a distinguished writer. He wrote and edited over 60 books and novels. Among his list of titles are Campaigning with Crook, Fort Frayne, Under Fire and Daughter of the Sioux.