Isak Dinesen (Karen Blixen) wrote works both in Danish and in English. She is best known, at least in English, for Out of Africa, her account of living in Kenya, and one of her stories, Babette's Feast, both of which have been adapted into highly acclaimed, Academy Award-winning motion pictures. In Denmark she is best known for her works Out of Africa (Danish Den afrikanske Farm) and Seven Gothic Tales (Danish Syv fantastiske Fortællinger; from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_Blixen).
Great Short Stories of the World

Great Short Stories of the World
+69 more
1972 · 799 pages · Readers Digest Association
Synopsis
Explore the vast landscape of human experience through this curated collection of short stories from around the globe. Featuring timeless tales by literary giants like John Steinbeck, Anton Chekhov, and Ernest Hemingway, this anthology offers a diverse range of perspectives and narratives. Discover stories that explore morality, societal norms, and the complexities of everyday life.
- Avg. reading time
- 15h 8m
- Prose complexity
- 7/10
Vibe
Violence
Authors
Sholem Aleichem was a celebrated author whose work, including the influential "World Literature 1999," explored the human condition with wit and warmth. His stories often touched on themes of everyday life, family, and community, making him a beloved figure in literature.
Aldous Leonard Huxley (26 July 1894 – 22 November 1963) was an English writer and philosopher. He wrote nearly 50 books, both novels and non-fiction works, as well as wide-ranging essays, narratives, and poems.
Irwin Shaw was an American playwright, screenwriter, novelist, and short-story author whose written works have sold more than 14 million copies. He is best known for two of his novels: The Young Lions (1948), about the fate of three soldiers during World War II, which was made into a film of the same name starring Marlon Brando and Montgomery Clift, and Rich Man, Poor Man (1970), about the fate of two brothers and a sister in the post-World War II decades, which in 1976 was made into a popular m...
Trusted Media Brands, Inc., formerly known as the Reader's Digest Association, Inc., is an American multi-platform media and publishing company that is co-headquartered in New York City and White Plains, New York.—Wikipedia
Truman Capote was an American writer, many of whose short stories, novels, plays, and nonfiction are recognized literary classics, including the novella Breakfast at Tiffany's (1958) and In Cold Blood (1965), which he labeled a "nonfiction novel".
An English crime writer, poet, playwright, essayist, translator and Christian humanist.
Ernest Miller Hemingway was an American writer and journalist. During his lifetime he wrote and had published seven novels; six collections of short stories; and two works of non-fiction. Since his death three novels, four collections of short stories, and three non-fiction autobiographical works have been published. Hemingway received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954. Hemingway was born and raised in Oak Park, Illinois. After high school he worked as a reporter but within months he left...
Nigel Marlin Balchin was an English psychologist and author, particularly known for his novels written during and immediately after World War II: Darkness Falls from the Air, The Small Back Room and Mine Own Executioner.
William Somerset Maugham was born at the British Embassy in Paris, France, where his father was an English lawyer handling the legal affairs of the British embassy. His mother died of tuberculosis while he was young, a death which traumatized him for life. Two years later, his father died of cancer, and he was sent to England to be cared for by his uncle, Henry MacDonald Maugham, the Vicar of Whitstable, in Kent. His uncle was cold and cruel, and the boarding school he attended, The King's Sc...
Santha Rama Rau was born in Madras, India, and is the daughter of a distinguished Indian diplomat, Benegal Rama Rau. As a child she went to school in England, and later lived in South Africa, the United States, and Japan. A graduate of Wellesley, she is an internationally known author. In 1956 she adapted E. M. Forester's A Passage to India for successful runs on the stage in London and New York.
Albert Camus was a French Algerian author, philosopher, and journalist who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1957. He was a key philosopher of the 20th-century and his most famous work is the novel L'Étranger (The Stranger). In 1949, Camus founded the Group for International Liaisons within the Revolutionary Union Movement, which was a group opposed to some tendencies of the surrealistic movement of André Breton. Camus was the second-youngest recipient of the Nobel Prize for L...
"Katherine Anne Porter was a Pulitzer Prize-winning American journalist, essayist, short story writer, novelist, and political activist. Her 1962 novel Ship of Fools was the best-selling novel in America that year, but her short stories received much more critical acclaim. She is known for her penetrating insight; her work deals with dark themes such as betrayal, death and the origin of human evil." - Wikipedia
Mark Twain, born Samuel Langhorne Clemens, was a prolific American author and humorist. Twain is best known for his novels Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884), which has been called "the Great American Novel", and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876). He is extensively quoted. Twain was a friend to presidents, artists, industrialists, and European royalty. ([Source][1].) [1]:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Twain
John Steinbeck was an American writer. He wrote the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Grapes of Wrath (1939) and the novella Of Mice and Men (1937). He wrote a total of 27 books, including 16 novels, six non-fiction books, and five collections of short stories. In 1962, Steinbeck received the Nobel Prize for Literature ([Source][1]). [1]:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Steinbeck
Anatole France was born François-Anatole Thibault in Paris, the son of a bookseller. His father's bookstore, Librairie France, specialized in books and papers on the French Revolution and was frequented by many notable writers and scholars of the day. Anatole France studied at the Collège Stanislas and went to work with his father after his graduation. After several years he became a cataloguer at Bacheline-Deflorenne and at Lemerre. He began his career as a poet and a journalist. In 1876 he was...
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (Russian: Антон Павлович Чехов) was a Russian playwright and short-story writer who is considered to be one of the greatest writers of all time. His career as a playwright produced four classics, and his best short stories are held in high esteem by writers and critics. Along with Henrik Ibsen and August Strindberg, Chekhov is often referred to as one of the three seminal figures in the birth of early modernism in the theatre. Chekhov was a physician by profession. "Medic...
South Africa's first Nobel laureate in Literature (1991). Exceedingly polished, creative writer.
A German poet, playwright, and theatre director.
Henry Graham Greene (2 October 1904 – 3 April 1991) was an English writer and journalist regarded by many as one of the leading novelists of the 20th century. Combining literary acclaim with widespread popularity, Greene acquired a reputation early in his lifetime as a major writer, both of serious Catholic novels, and of thrillers. He was shortlisted for the Nobel Prize in Literature several times. Through 67 years of writing, which included over 25 novels, he explored the conflicting moral and...
Frank O'Connor (born Michael Francis O'Donovan) was an Irish writer of over 150 works, best known for his short stories and memoirs. The Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award is named in his honor.
Born Katherine Mansfield Beauchamp in Wellington, New Zealand, she moved to England at age 19, mixed with modernist writers there, lead a very modernist life there, and died relatively young of tuberculosis (<a href=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katherine_Mansfield>Wikipedia</a>).
Corrado Alvaro was a celebrated Italian writer, best known for his powerful short stories. His collection, Great Short Stories of the World, showcases his skill in capturing the human condition. He wrote with a clear, impactful style that resonates with readers.
Sally Benson is the author behind Prentice Hall Literature, a trusted name in educational texts. Her work focuses on making literature accessible and engaging for students.
Prof. John Updike, American novelist, poet, short story writer, art critic, and literary critic
Runyon was best known for his short stories celebrating the world of Broadway in New York City that grew out of the Prohibition era. To New Yorkers of his generation, a "Damon Runyon character" evoked a distinctive social type from the Brooklyn or Midtown demi-monde. The adjective "Runyonesque" refers to this type of character as well as to the type of situations and dialog that Runyon depicted. He spun humorous tales of gamblers, hustlers, actors, and gangsters, few of whom go by "square" names...
Pearl S. Buck had always lived in China except for the time she spent in the United States when she was being educated. She studied at Randolph-Macon College and at Cornell University. She taught at the University of Nanking and at the Government University in Nanking under two national regimes. She lived in Nanking during the 1930's. The Good Earth was Mrs. Buck's second published novel. East Wind: West Wind appeared under the John Day imprint in 1930. She contributed articles and stories...
American author of short stories and novels
Shirley Hardie Jackson (December 14, 1916 – August 8, 1965) was an American writer, known primarily for her works of horror and mystery. Source: [Shirley Jackson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shirley_Jackson) on Wikipedia.
Alberto Moravia is an Italian journalist, short-story writer, and novelist known for his fictional portrayals of social alienation and loveless sexuality. He was a major figure in 20th-century Italian literature. Moravia contracted tuberculosis of the bone (a form of osteomyelitis usually caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis) at the age of 8, but, during several years in which he was confined to bed and two years in sanatoriums, he studied French, German, and English; read Giovanni Boccaccio,...
Herbert George Wells was an English author, best known for his work in the science fiction genre. He was also a prolific writer in many genres, including contemporary novels, history, politics and social commentary.
Lilika Nakos is the editor behind the excellent collection, Great Short Stories of the World. This anthology showcases a wide range of voices and styles from across the globe. It's a fantastic way to discover new authors and explore different literary traditions.
An Irish writer, poet, and prominent aesthete. Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish playwright, poet, and author of numerous short stories, and one novel. Known for his biting wit, and a plentitude of aphorisms, he became one of the most successful playwrights of the late Victorian era in London, and one of the greatest celebrities of his day. Several of his plays continue to be widely performed, especially The Importance of Being Earnest. As the result of a widely covered ser...
Guy de Maupassant was a master of the short story, a French writer whose tales often explored the complexities of human nature with sharp wit and keen observation. His collection, Great Short Stories of the World, showcases his skill in crafting memorable narratives that continue to resonate with readers.
James Augustine Aloysius Joyce was an Irish novelist and poet. He contributed to the modernist avant-garde and is regarded as one of the most influential and important authors of the 20th century. Joyce is best known for Ulysses (1922), a landmark work in which the episodes of Homer's Odyssey are paralleled in an array of contrasting literary styles, perhaps most prominent among these the stream of consciousness technique he utilised. Other well-known works are the short-story collection Dubl...
Joseph Conrad was a Polish-born British novelist, who became a British subject in 1886. He is regarded as one of the greatest novelists in English though he did not speak the language fluently until he was in his twenties (and then always with a marked Polish accent). He wrote stories and novels, predominantly with a nautical or seaboard setting, that depict trials of the human spirit by the demands of duty and honor. ([Source][1].) [1]:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Conrad
Bengali polymath who reshaped his region's literature and music. Author of "Gitanjali" and its "profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse" (The Nobel Foundation), he became the first non-European Nobel laureate by earning the 1913 Prize in Literature.
Rumer Godden was a writer celebrated for her evocative stories. Her collection, Great Short Stories of the World, showcases her talent for crafting memorable narratives across various settings.
Hernando Tellez was a master of the short story, bringing us classics like Great Short Stories of the World. His work often explored themes of human nature with a sharp, insightful touch. You'll find his stories are a great way to discover powerful narratives in a compact form.
D.H. Lawrence was an English author, poet, playwright, essayist and literary critic. His collected works represent an extended reflection upon the dehumanising effects of modernity and industrialisation. In them, Lawrence confronts issues relating to emotional health and vitality, spontaneity, human sexuality and instinct. ([Source][1].) [1]:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D._H._Lawrence
Robert Benchley was a master of wit and observation, best known for his humorous essays and short stories. His collection, Great Short Stories of the World, showcases his talent for finding the funny in everyday life. He's a writer who always delivers a good laugh.
John O'Hara was a master of the short story, with many of his pieces appearing in The New Yorker. His work often captured the everyday lives and social dynamics of his characters.
Sidney Joseph Perelman was born in Brooklyn, NY, the son of a dry goods merchant. In childhood he moved with his family to Providence, Rhode Island. Perelman, who wanted to be a cartoonist, practiced drawing on cardboard from his father's store. He was a premedical student at Brown University from 1921-1925, where he began publishing cartoons to the campus humor magazine. After graduating from University, he contributed cartoons and essays to the weekly humor magazine Judge. In 1930 he took a jo...
Machado de Assis was a pioneer Brazilian novelist, poet, playwright and short story writer, widely regarded as the greatest writer of Brazilian literature. ---------- Machado de Assis foi um escritor brasileiro, considerado por muitos críticos, estudiosos, escritores e leitores o maior nome da literatura brasileira. Escreveu em praticamente todos os gêneros literários, sendo poeta, romancista, cronista, dramaturgo, contista, folhetinista, jornalista e crítico literário.
Jean Stafford was a gifted storyteller, celebrated for her sharp wit and keen observations. Her collection, Great Short Stories of the World, showcases her mastery of the short fiction form.
Max Aub Mohrenwitz (París, 2 de junio de 1903-Ciudad de México, 22 de julio de 1972) fue un escritor español de origen francés y alemán. Tras la guerra civil española se exilió en México, país del que tomó la nacionalidad y en el que vivió hasta su muerte. En México escribió la mayor parte de sus obras, entre las que destaca un ciclo compuesto por seis novelas sobre la guerra civil española, cuyo título general es El laberinto mágico, y que es considerada su obra cumbre. ([fuente](https://es.w...
Gabrielle Roy is the editor behind Great Short Stories of the World. She has a knack for bringing together compelling narratives from across the globe.
The author of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty and the creator of numerous New Yorker magazine cover cartoons, was born in Columbus, Ohio on December, 8, 1894. One of the foremost American humorists of the 20th century, his inimitable wit and pithy prose spanned a breadth of genres, including short stories, modern commentary, fiction, children's fantasy and letters. Thurber's father, Charles, was a civil clerk, and his mother, Mame, was an eccentric woman who would influence many of her son's...
Leo Kennedy is the editor behind Great Short Stories of the World. He has a knack for finding compelling narratives across different genres.
> "I like to have a martini, > Two at the very most. > After three I'm under the table, > after four I'm under my host." > — Dorothy Parker Dorothy Parker was an American writer and poet, best known for her wit, wisecracks, and sharp eye for 20th century urban foibles.. From a conflicted and unhappy childhood, Parker rose to acclaim, both for her literary output in such venues as [The New Yorker][1] and as a founding member of the [Algonquin Round Table][2]. Following the breakup of th...
A prolific American author (<a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Crane>Wikipedia</a>; <a href=https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Author:Stephen_Crane>Wikisource</a>).
Montague Rhodes James (1 August 1862 – 12 June 1936) was an English author, medievalist scholar and provost of King's College, Cambridge (1905–18), and of Eton College (1918–36). He was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge (1913–15). Though James's work as a medievalist and scholar is still highly regarded, he is best remembered for his ghost stories, which some regard as among the best in the genre. James redefined the ghost story for the new century by abandoning many of the forma...
Gorky, Maxim or Maksim [Rus.,=Maxim the Bitter], pseud. of Aleksey Maximovich Pyeshkov, 1868-1936, Russian writer. Gorky is considered the father of Soviet literature and the founder of the doctrine of socialist realism. Instilled by his grandmother with a love of romantic tales and great sympathy for mankind, Gorky began a nomadic life at 12, wandering the Volga area. Since the czar's schools were closed to peasants, he educated himself, an experience he describes in My Universities (1923)....
Gregorio Lopez y Fuentes is the author of Great Short Stories of the World. He's a writer whose work often explores the human experience through compelling narratives.
Josh Gregory is the editor behind Great Short Stories of the World. He has a knack for bringing together compelling narratives from across genres and cultures. If you enjoy a good story that packs a punch, you'll appreciate his selections.
Doris May Lessing CH (née Tayler; born 22 October 1919) is a British writer, author of works such as the novels The Grass is Singing and The Golden Notebook. In 2007, Lessing won the Nobel Prize in Literature. She was described by the Swedish Academy as "that epicist of the female experience, who with scepticism, fire and visionary power has subjected a divided civilisation to scrutiny". Lessing was the eleventh woman and the oldest person ever to win the Literature Prize. In 2001, Lessing...
Saki was the pen name of Hector Hugh Munro, also known as H. H. Munro, a British writer whose witty, mischievous and sometimes macabre stories satirize Edwardian society and culture.
Wallace Earle Stegner was an American novelist, short story writer, environmentalist, and historian, often called "The Dean of Western Writers". He won the Pulitzer Prize in 1972 and the U.S. National Book Award in 1977. - wikipedia
Marcel Aymé was a French writer celebrated for his witty and often darkly humorous short stories. His collection, Great Short Stories of the World, showcases his talent for blending the everyday with the fantastical. He's a master of the short fiction form, offering readers a unique perspective on human nature.
Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette was born in Saint-Sauveur-en-Puisaye, Yonne, in the Burgundy Region of France. In 1893 she married Henri Gauthier-Villars, a famous wit known as "Willy", who was 15 years her senior. Her first books, the Claudine series, were published under the pen name of her husband, "Willy". In 1906 she left her husband and lived for a time with the American writer and salonist Natalie Barney. The two had a short affair, and remained friends until Colette's death. She then star...
Ring Lardner was a sharp-witted American humorist whose work is collected in A Subtreasury of American Humor. He's known for his satirical take on everyday life and the foibles of human nature.
Paul Horgan is the author of the collection Short Stories from the New Yorker. His work often explores American life and history.
Thomas Head Raddall is a writer whose collection, Great Short Stories of the World, showcases his skill in crafting compelling narratives. He's known for his engaging storytelling across various genres.
O. Henry's short stories are well known for their wit, wordplay, warm characterization and clever twist endings. ([Source][1].) [1]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O._Henry
Luigi Pirandello was an Italian dramatist, novelist, poet, and short story writer whose greatest contributions were his plays. He was awarded the 1934 Nobel Prize in Literature for "his almost magical power to turn psychological analysis into good theatre." Pirandello's works include novels, hundreds of short stories, and about 40 plays, some of which are written in Sicilian. Pirandello's tragic farces are often seen as forerunners of the Theatre of the Absurd.
Eudora Welty's work is featured in Prentice Hall Literature--Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes--The American Experience, offering readers a look into classic American literature. She's a writer whose selections are a great addition to any literary exploration.
Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald was an American author of novels and short stories, whose works are evocative of the Jazz Age, a term he coined himself. He is widely regarded as one of the twentieth century's greatest writers. Fitzgerald is considered a member of the "Lost Generation" of the Twenties. He finished four novels, This Side of Paradise, The Beautiful and Damned, Tender Is the Night and his most famous, the celebrated classic, The Great Gatsby. A fifth, unfinished novel, *The Lov...
Mikhail Zoshchenko was a master of short stories, known for his sharp wit and keen observations of everyday life. His collection, Great Short Stories of the World, showcases his talent for humor and satire. If you enjoy clever, relatable tales, you'll appreciate Zoshchenko's work.
Swedish writer and journalist.
> Andy's Gone With Cattle > > Our Andy's gone to battle now > 'Gainst Drought, the red marauder; > Our Andy's gone with cattle now > Across the Queensland border. > > He's left us in dejection now; Our > hearts with him are roving. It's dull > on this selection now, Since Andy went > a-droving. > > Who now shall wear the cheerful face > In times when things are slackest? And > who shall whistle round the place When > Fortune frowns her blackest? > > Oh, who shall c...
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Great Short Stories of the WorldHardcover, 1974
799 pages
Readers Digest AssociationLanguage: English5 editions available






























