English Classic Short Stories

The stories collected in the twelve volumes of Andrew Lang's Fairy Books of Many Colors have captivated generations of readers. In The Blue Fairy Book, the first in his legendary series, Lang compiled and edited tales from the Brothers Grimm, Madame d’Aulnoy, and French, Scandinavian, and Middle Eastern sources. He captured the folkloric traditions and dark origins of dozens of the world's best-known fairy-tale characters, including Sleeping Beauty, Little Red Riding Hood, Snow-White, Cinderella, and Rumpelstiltskin.

The story opens on the first sledding day of the season, and all of the children in town are out in force. Our hero and heroine, 13-year-olds Jack Minot and Janey Pecq, go down a particularly treacherous run and are both seriously injured. Over the next year, Jack and Jill (as she is called) are nurtured back to health by their widowed mothers. As the seasons pass, we become intimately acquainted with not only Jack and Jill, but their group of friends.

From the bustling streets of America to the quiet mountain towns in rural China, this captivating collection of short stories spans continents and cultures, weaving a tapestry of universal human experiences. Each tale offers a unique glimpse into lives shaped by love, betrayal, and the search for identity. These stories, by turns humorous and poignant, explore the intricate threads that connect us all—the joy of friendship, the pain of betrayal, the challenges of coming of age, and the bittersweet realities of leaving one's homeland. With its rich diversity of settings and emotions, this ...

Proud… Not proud… Proud… Elizabeth Bennet is visiting her friend Charlotte—now Mrs. Collins—at Hunsford when they are invited to Rosings Park, the luxurious estate of Mr. Collins’ matron, Lady Catherine de Bourgh. To her surprise, she meets a former acquaintance there, one she never would have expected to see again—Mr. Darcy! It turns out that Mr. Darcy is the nephew of Lady Catherine, and is now visiting his aunt with his younger sister, Georgiana. Elizabeth becomes quick friends with the spirited young girl, who is not at all as proud as a certain Mr. Wickham once described....

Once, Hope Payne was a mermaid, performing at the local theme park and captivating audiences young and old. Today, she's married to a pragmatic marine biologist who has filled the pool in their backyard with flounder for a special study. Before he begins, the fish vanish - echoing a loss Hope alone can understand. She senses there's something underwater, something alive and hungry for more, but is she in too deep to ever resurface?

A collection of horror/thriller stories for readers who would enjoy a stroll through a graveyard after midnight. Hark! Don’t read this book if a deranged maniac has escaped from the local asylum. Otherwise, enjoy the horror! The creepers include:REST STOP: As a child, Martin loved the story of The Lady or the Tiger so much when he became wealthy, he acquired land and started playing the game with real people and hybrid beasts. THE CURSE: When Rebecca and her colleagues finally found the pharaoh's tomb, she was so blinded by the notoriety and riches she refused to leave no matter how many ...

Winner of the 2001 Audie Award for Classic Fiction, this is an unparalleled presentation of Maugham's stories, complete with sound effects and music.

Marvelous creations, including a short story set in the world of The Matrix and others set in the worlds of gothic fiction and children's fiction, can be found in this extraordinary collection, which showcases Gaiman's storytelling brilliance as well as his entertaining (and dark) sense of humor.

Twenty-plus sci-fi stories from the lighter side, many of them illustrated. More from the lighter, laughing side than the dark-dungeoned depths; but they’re all here somewhere, from a satisfied smile; or shed a tear. Maybe a “Yes! Get in there”. Or catch your breath at the trials that some have to face. From crackling two-pagers where someone hasn’t quite read the situation right, to sixty-plus sides chronicling what you really have to do if you want to survive on this planet. Tales of here and now, wondering what’s among us; or what awaits us amid the distant futures and far-...

The brilliance of this story is in how a normal bureaucrat, a judge in this case, has a small accident that winds up gradually taking his life. As he deals with this incident, with hope at first and then despair, he comes to terms with his family, his life, and the mediocrities that we all suffer with, except for the exceptional few. This story rings a particularly poignant note for those in early middle age facing the next part of their lives. This story is considered Tolstoy's best.

Today, nearly 40 years after his death, Nobel Prize winner John Steinbeck remains one of America's greatest writers and cultural figures. We have begun publishing his many works for the first time as Penguin Classics. This season we continue with the seven spectacular and influential books East of Eden, Cannery Row, In Dubious Battle, The Long Valley, The Moon Is Down, The Pastures of Heaven, and Tortilla Flat.

When Joe L. Wheeler’s children were growing up, the request that came more often than any other in his home was: “Daddy, tell me a story.” Chances are, the same is true in your house! This anthology of timeless Christian fables, the second in the Great Stories Remembered series, offers parents the chance connect with their children over 35 classic stories. For the second collection, Joe brings back some familiar authors as well as introducing new ones you and your children are sure to love: Arthur Milward, Ida Alexander, Pearl Buck, and many more. The seasonal organizational format ...

The Complete Brontë Sisters and Jane Austen Collection brings together four of the most influential female authors of the 19th century. The collection includes Austen's 7 novels, selected short fiction, and a selection of her letters; alongside all 7 of the Brontë sisters' completed novels, as-well as a selection of the poetry which all three sisters published.

Fifteen vampire tales selected from my horror story collections, Black As Night, Shivers and Other Nightmares, Don't Look Behind You, Scary Stories- Vols. 1, 4 and 5, Midnight Snacks, and Scare Factory. Table of Contents: The Vampire Club: Something big in the basement has devoured Mike's neighbor's cat on loan to catch a mouse. The Babysitter: A psychotic teen impersonates a new sitter in order to obtain entrance to a wealthy estate. Vampire: After a woman and son move to town, a serial killer who drains his victims of blood begins a reign of terror. Tooth Fairy: A serial killer has driven...

A treasure-chest of the written and spoken word, this collection is read by brilliant actors who make this audio anthology a genuine treat for the listener.

"The Lottery," one of the most terrifying stories of the twentieth century, created a sensation when it was first published in the New Yorker. "Powerful and haunting," and "nights of unrest" were typical reader responses. This collection, the only one to appear during Jackson's lifetime, unites "The Lottery" with 24 equally unusual stories. Together they demonstrate her remarkable range - from the hilarious to the truly horrible - and power as a storyteller.

She pretends to be pious, but she’s about to be corrupted. Hank: Maribel Andrews, aka “The Church Lady”, has fascinated me for as long as I can remember. I’ve always wondered if those prim outfits and severe hairstyles hid a secret passion. Little did I know that Maribel had a kinky side, one I longed to dominate… Maribel: For years I was the “good girl”, doing what was expected of me. I saved myself for marriage, turned a blind eye to my husband’s cheating, and faithfully went to church every week to pray for my salvation. But following the rules didn’t keep me from ...

A collection of some of the greatest short stories ever written, including works by Kate Chopin, Franz Kafka, Saki, and Katherine Mansfield. Includes: 'A Pair of Silk Stockings', 'A Hunger Artist', 'The Yellow Paint', 'The Model Millionaire', 'The Singing Lesson', 'The Ambitious Guest', 'Tobermory', 'Up in the Gallery', 'Wakefield', and 'The Quince Tree'.

How long would you walk, if the Devil sauntered up to you of an evening, and journeyed alongside of you? Young Goodman Brown is led by the Devil to a midnight ritual, where fire, blood, and water change his opinions of the nature of humanity.

Irish Fairy Tales is a collection of 14 Irish stories, edited by W. B. Yeats. Originally published in 1892, this collection is beautifully narrated by John Dunleavy and includes Yeats' notes and his "Classification of Irish Fairies."