This volume is a comprehensive survey of the short story as an artistic medium, tracing its evolution from ancient roots to its modern perfection by nineteenth-century pioneers like Edgar Allan Poe. The author of the preface argues that short fiction is our most vital national reading, uniquely suited to modern life through its brevity, unity of effect, and intense realism. The book collects over twenty complete masterpieces by leading writers of various schools, offering readers both pure enjoyment and an appreciation of diverse narrative techniques.
Opening with tales of folklore and local color, the collection moves through animal stories, psychological studies, and detective puzzles. Readers encounter the cunning of Uncle Remus, the mystical devotion of Lafcadio Hearn's legends, Tolstoi's Christian parables, and the sharp realism of Jack London and Rudyard Kipling. Each piece represents a distinct type of construction, demonstrating how master craftsmen build a plot from characters and lead inevitably to a powerful climax.
The editorial commentary and introductory notes provide context for students and reading clubs without sacrificing the pleasure of the stories themselves. The underlying theme throughout is the search for truth and goodness in human experience, distilled into compact and harmonious forms. By examining these diverse styles, students gain an understanding of literary art that long novels rarely afford.
The volume concludes with extensive reading lists and suggestive questions designed to guide appreciation rather than burden the reader with formal study. Ultimately, the book serves as a celebration of the short story's enduring power to move, instruct, and delight generations of readers.
