The Gentle Grafter (1907) is a collection of fourteen short stories by American writer O. Henry. Inspired by his experiences as a fugitive and prisoner, these tales follow the escapades of two professional con artists whose humor and storytelling ability illuminate the nature of wealth and crime in early twentieth century America. In "Modern Rural Sports," con-man Jeff Peters recalls a job in a rural Western town where, in need of money, he devised...

Claire Keegan's brilliant debut collection, Antarctica, was a Los Angeles Times Book of the Year, and earned her resounding accolades on both sides of the Atlantic. Now she has delivered her next, much-anticipated book, Walk the Blue Fields, an unforgettable array of quietly wrenching stories about despair and desire in the timeless world of modern-day Ireland. In the never-before-published story "The Long and Painful Death,"

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All of author Joseph Conrad's works have an air of loneliness and isolation within the plot. This is now thought to be reflective of the author's life as a Polish immigrant living and writing at the height of the British Empire. His prose strikes a chord that resonates deep within the reader, leaving a feeling of immense despondency. Yet with his deep affinity for the melancholy, Conrad was also a highly skilled prose writer. His words allow the reader...

Nathaniel Hawthorne's works are staples in the canon of American literature. The author drew upon the early Puritan influences that played a major role in the country's history and exploited them through mystery, creativity, science, and witchcraft. Hawthorne wrote with a psychological view of his characters and their motivations, allowing him to craft characters, plots, and scenes that truly represent his story's themes. His use of foreshadowing...

When the day of Lord Saito Gonji's birthday arrives, Gonji celebrates with dread, knowing that in a week, he will be married. Sent away in his youth for samurai training, and then to higher education, Gonji is very connected to his studies. After his intelligence is proven, his professors even tell Gonji that he would do great things for Japan one day. However, since he is the youngest son in his family, Gonji is expected to marry-a social expectation...

Hailed by Nabokov as "the greatest artist that Russia has yet produced," Nikolai Gogol (1809-1852) left his mark as a playwright, novelist, and writer of short stories. Gogol's works remain popular with both writers and readers, who prize his originality, imaginative gifts, and sheer exuberance. This collection offers an excellent introduction to the author's works. Opening a door to his bizarre world of broad comedy, fantasy, and social commentary,...

First published in French in 1877, "Three Tales" is a collection of three short stories by the celebrated French novelist Gustave Flaubert. The first story in this collection "A Simple Soul" is a story of love and spiritual awakening seen through the simple and apparently unremarkable life of a servant girl. While she has little materially, she retains her ability to love and is devoted to others. "The Legend of Saint Julian the Hospitalier" is an...

Unique Elements • About the Author • About the Translator • A Literary Classic by ANTON CHEKHOV. The Party and Other Stories by RUSSIAN author ANTON CHEKHOV is a collection of short stories published in 1917 in London, the United Kingdom, translated from the Russian language by Constance Garnett. The title story of this collection, "The Party," portrays emotional tension and conflict between Olga and her husband, two ordinary...

After all, the "Moscarda" he believed himself to be was different when he was alone, or with his wife, his tenant, or his friends. And, there were hundreds-no, thousands-of additional Moscardas in the minds of everyone who had met or heard of him. Moscarda grappled with this new knowledge: that he was not who he thought he was, nor who anyone else thought he was. And, the people around him? They were not who he thought they were either. So he decided,...

Louisa May Alcott has penned a sparkling collection of novels, short stories and poems. In this collection of short stories, you get four little gems, written with Alcott's unmistakable gentle humour and keen observation of family life. Featuring a "prince charming" and a very important piece of footwear, despite both not being what you would expect, 'A Modern Cinderella', or 'The Little Old Shoe', is an amusing and irreverent version of The Brothers...