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The Family Book of Best Loved Short Stories
The Gold-Bug by Edgar Allan Poe;
Rappaccini's Daughter by Nathaniel Hawthorne;
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens;
Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving;
The Outcasts of Poker Flat by Bret Harte;
The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calveras County by Mark Twain;
The Real Thing by Henry James;
The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry;
Marjorie Daw by Thomas Bailey Aldrich;
The Lady or the Tiger? by Frank R. Stockton;
In the Fog by Richard Harding Davis;
A Lodging for the Night by Robert Louis Stevenson;
The Man Who Would Be King by Rudyard Kipling;
The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant;
A Passion in the Dessert by Honore de Balzac;
Verotchka by Anton Chekhov;
Our Lady's Juggler by Anatole France;
The Adventure of the Speckled Band by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle;
The Doll's House by Katherine Mansfield;
A Gray Sleeve by Stephen Crane;
The Secret Sharer by Joseph Conrad;
Plum Pudding and Mince Pie by Alice Duer Miller;
Land by Sinclair Lewis;
The Killers by Ernest Hemingway;
The Leader of the People> by John Steinbeck
Rappaccini's Daughter by Nathaniel Hawthorne;
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens;
Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving;
The Outcasts of Poker Flat by Bret Harte;
The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calveras County by Mark Twain;
The Real Thing by Henry James;
The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry;
Marjorie Daw by Thomas Bailey Aldrich;
The Lady or the Tiger? by Frank R. Stockton;
In the Fog by Richard Harding Davis;
A Lodging for the Night by Robert Louis Stevenson;
The Man Who Would Be King by Rudyard Kipling;
The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant;
A Passion in the Dessert by Honore de Balzac;
Verotchka by Anton Chekhov;
Our Lady's Juggler by Anatole France;
The Adventure of the Speckled Band by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle;
The Doll's House by Katherine Mansfield;
A Gray Sleeve by Stephen Crane;
The Secret Sharer by Joseph Conrad;
Plum Pudding and Mince Pie by Alice Duer Miller;
Land by Sinclair Lewis;
The Killers by Ernest Hemingway;
The Leader of the People> by John Steinbeck
- GenresFictionShort Stories
498 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1954
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16 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 15, 2011
I read these over the period of about 4 months. They were my side reading mostly when I was between books, or just needed a break from what I was reading. The sum of the whole is greater than its parts. I enjoyed exposure to wide variety of authors and styles.
The Gold Bug – Edgar Allen Poe 3.5
A story worthy of Poe. Fun, with suspense and mystery. The ending a bit dues ex machina, but so be it.
Rappaccini’s Daughter – Nathaniel Hawthorne 2
Didn’t really get into this story. I understand it is a cautionary tale about love and its dangers, but it did not hold my interest.
Rip Van Winkle – Washington Irving 4.5
Of course I know this story and I am sure I read it before. But it is a classic to be sure. Interesting how the Dutch are portrayed as a separate group of people. Long ago are the days when English and Dutch were so different. And interesting comparison between VW’s wife and the king of England.
The Outcasts of Poker Flat – Bret Harte 3
I love the style that this is written in and the language and vocabulary used. But the story seems lacking. The Gambler is such an interesting character but I am not sure if I buy his ultimate choice.
The Celebrated Jumping Frog – Mark Twain 4
Twain, pure Twain.
The Real Thing – Henry James 4.5
I must confess I don’t know much about Henry James. But this story really struck me. I liked his descriptions of people and his use of vocabulary. The style is simple an elegant. It seems to be a story of the changing times where Gentleman and Ladies were becoming common people and common people becoming those others emulated.
The Gift of the Magi – O Henry 3
Simple, sweet, could maybe be flushed out more?
Marjorie Saw – Thomas Bailey Aldrich 3.5
I like the style of it being written as letters. It is a testament to the power of the imagination. It reminds me a little of Rear Window, though it is not that similar.
The Lady or the Tiger? – Frank Stockton – 4
Everything a short, short story should be. Interesting, thought provoking. Leaves you wondering. Comments on humanity.
In the Fog – Richard Harding Davis – 4.5
Brilliant. Several stories in one. A little longer of a short story. A who-done-it with plenty of twists and turns. Griping. Never saw the ending coming.
A Lodging for the Night – Robert Louis Stevenson – 3
Beautifully written, descriptive. A fine tale, but not compelling as others in the book have been.
The Man Who Would Be King – Rudyard Kipling – 3
A warning tale of greed and mistaking people for being simple and dumb. Considering I had heard of this story, or rather the movie, I was a little disappointed.
The Necklace – Guy de Maupassant – 3
A short, short story about a moment of regret with lasting implications.
A Passion in the Dessert – Honore de Balzac – 2.5
Seemed cliché, but probably more original in its time.
Verotchka – Anton Chekhov - 2.5
A tale turning society on its head as a woman confesses love to a man and he refuses. Should one settle for one who loves them even if that love is not reciprocated?
Our Lady’s Juggler – Anatole France – 3
Closer to a fable. Maybe the most one could poke at the church at the time?
The Adventure of the Speckled Band – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle – 3.5
I hadn’t read anything by him before. Holmes’ logic used to figure things out seems to be beyond belief, but I guess that is the point. Good character interaction and pacing.
The Doll’s House – Katherine Mansfield – 2
Poor downtrodden children punished for the sins of their father.
A Grey Sleeve – Stephen Crane – 2
Civil War, love, a house divided.
The Secret Sharer – Joseph Conrad – 4
About 3 pages in I realized I had read this story before. When? Not sure. But it is very good. The tension builds and continues. The psychological connection of the two main characters puts it over the edge. The captain sees himself and realizes the fine line that separates himself from this fate.
Plum Pudding and Mince Pie – Alice Duer Miller – 3
Could have been flushed out a little more. Would have liked to have known the characters more. uBut still enjoyable.
Land – Sinclair Lewis – 2
City life versus the farming life
The Killers – Ernest Hemmingway – 2.5
Nick Adams story. Hemmingway looking seeing his future of reaching a point where is nothing to live for?
The Leader of the People – John Steinbeck – 3.5
The simple characters feel deep and real. What happens when your time is past?
The Gold Bug – Edgar Allen Poe 3.5
A story worthy of Poe. Fun, with suspense and mystery. The ending a bit dues ex machina, but so be it.
Rappaccini’s Daughter – Nathaniel Hawthorne 2
Didn’t really get into this story. I understand it is a cautionary tale about love and its dangers, but it did not hold my interest.
Rip Van Winkle – Washington Irving 4.5
Of course I know this story and I am sure I read it before. But it is a classic to be sure. Interesting how the Dutch are portrayed as a separate group of people. Long ago are the days when English and Dutch were so different. And interesting comparison between VW’s wife and the king of England.
The Outcasts of Poker Flat – Bret Harte 3
I love the style that this is written in and the language and vocabulary used. But the story seems lacking. The Gambler is such an interesting character but I am not sure if I buy his ultimate choice.
The Celebrated Jumping Frog – Mark Twain 4
Twain, pure Twain.
The Real Thing – Henry James 4.5
I must confess I don’t know much about Henry James. But this story really struck me. I liked his descriptions of people and his use of vocabulary. The style is simple an elegant. It seems to be a story of the changing times where Gentleman and Ladies were becoming common people and common people becoming those others emulated.
The Gift of the Magi – O Henry 3
Simple, sweet, could maybe be flushed out more?
Marjorie Saw – Thomas Bailey Aldrich 3.5
I like the style of it being written as letters. It is a testament to the power of the imagination. It reminds me a little of Rear Window, though it is not that similar.
The Lady or the Tiger? – Frank Stockton – 4
Everything a short, short story should be. Interesting, thought provoking. Leaves you wondering. Comments on humanity.
In the Fog – Richard Harding Davis – 4.5
Brilliant. Several stories in one. A little longer of a short story. A who-done-it with plenty of twists and turns. Griping. Never saw the ending coming.
A Lodging for the Night – Robert Louis Stevenson – 3
Beautifully written, descriptive. A fine tale, but not compelling as others in the book have been.
The Man Who Would Be King – Rudyard Kipling – 3
A warning tale of greed and mistaking people for being simple and dumb. Considering I had heard of this story, or rather the movie, I was a little disappointed.
The Necklace – Guy de Maupassant – 3
A short, short story about a moment of regret with lasting implications.
A Passion in the Dessert – Honore de Balzac – 2.5
Seemed cliché, but probably more original in its time.
Verotchka – Anton Chekhov - 2.5
A tale turning society on its head as a woman confesses love to a man and he refuses. Should one settle for one who loves them even if that love is not reciprocated?
Our Lady’s Juggler – Anatole France – 3
Closer to a fable. Maybe the most one could poke at the church at the time?
The Adventure of the Speckled Band – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle – 3.5
I hadn’t read anything by him before. Holmes’ logic used to figure things out seems to be beyond belief, but I guess that is the point. Good character interaction and pacing.
The Doll’s House – Katherine Mansfield – 2
Poor downtrodden children punished for the sins of their father.
A Grey Sleeve – Stephen Crane – 2
Civil War, love, a house divided.
The Secret Sharer – Joseph Conrad – 4
About 3 pages in I realized I had read this story before. When? Not sure. But it is very good. The tension builds and continues. The psychological connection of the two main characters puts it over the edge. The captain sees himself and realizes the fine line that separates himself from this fate.
Plum Pudding and Mince Pie – Alice Duer Miller – 3
Could have been flushed out a little more. Would have liked to have known the characters more. uBut still enjoyable.
Land – Sinclair Lewis – 2
City life versus the farming life
The Killers – Ernest Hemmingway – 2.5
Nick Adams story. Hemmingway looking seeing his future of reaching a point where is nothing to live for?
The Leader of the People – John Steinbeck – 3.5
The simple characters feel deep and real. What happens when your time is past?
August 9, 2014
The usual suspects are just that, the usual suspects.
The Mansfield story is great. It really explores meanness and its many-splendored motivation.
The Stevenson story also tells it like it is to a degree the "great authors" don't, necessarily. The main character is not particularly admirable, but he's mostly just trying to survive. Even if some of his problems may stem from the fact that he's obnoxious, it's hard to argue with his apologia.
I think Grapes of Wrath really is a great story, but a lot of Steinbeck's short stories really aren't very good, including this one. At least they passed over The Snake, about a carnivore shocked by another carnivore, and Chrysanthemums and the Harness, both just elaborate sexist prattle.
The Mansfield story is great. It really explores meanness and its many-splendored motivation.
The Stevenson story also tells it like it is to a degree the "great authors" don't, necessarily. The main character is not particularly admirable, but he's mostly just trying to survive. Even if some of his problems may stem from the fact that he's obnoxious, it's hard to argue with his apologia.
I think Grapes of Wrath really is a great story, but a lot of Steinbeck's short stories really aren't very good, including this one. At least they passed over The Snake, about a carnivore shocked by another carnivore, and Chrysanthemums and the Harness, both just elaborate sexist prattle.
March 1, 2021
My favorites were Rappaccini's Daughter, The Lady or the Tiger, In the Fog, Verotchka, Land, and The Leader of the People, besides of course the beloved classics A Christmas Carol and The Gift of the Magi.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews