Modern Short Stories

In the past 50 years, the American short story has changed dramatically. New voices, forms, and mixtures of genres have brought this unique US genre a thrilling burst of energy. This rich anthology celebrates this avalanche of talent. Beginning in 1970, it culls together a half century of powerful American short stories from all genres, including - for the first time in a literary anthology - science fiction, horror, and fantasy.

A terrifying, thrilling collection of must-listen horror stories chock-full of nightmarish supernatural beings and the murderously disturbed that are sure to keep you up all night long.

After the loss of her mother, a woman returns to the San Fernando Valley only to uncover a haunting secret about her childhood friend. A visiting professor at a charming but strange California liberal arts college must face her past in order to protect her son. A sister, lost in the woods, confronts the dangerous truth about her brother, her stepmother, and herself. Rose's dog Wolfie has died, and three seductive women offer to help return him to her. But only if she will pay the price.

Twenty-three stories, all unabridged, from a diverse group of star writers and readers. A truly memorable collection with a wide appeal. Includes "The Years Midnight" by Helen Simpson, read by Harriet Walter; "On Seeing the 100% Perfect Girl One Beautiful Morning" by Haruki Marukami, read by Walter Lewis; "Bablady" by A. S. Byatt, read by Roslaind Eyres; "Hotel des Vaoyaguerus" by William Boyd, read by Martin Jarvis; and "Who?" by Fay Weldon, read by Julie Christie.

Three deeply unsettling stories. One world where monsters wear human faces, shadows whisper secrets, and legends aren’t just bedtime tales. Each story grips you quietly… then drags you into darkness. Inside this chilling mini-anthology, you’ll discover: psychological dread, haunted homes, urban legends, and survival against impossible evil.Stories Included: Smile In a cold and cruel future, people are forced to smile through unimaginable pain or die trying. One mother watches helplessly as her son dares to resist… and pays the ultimate price. Lady in My House After moving back into ...

Call If You Need Me includes all of the prose previously collected in No Heroics, Please, four essays from Fires, and those five marvelous stories that range over the period of Carver's mature writing and give his devoted fans a final glimpse of the great writer at work. The pure pleasure of Carver's writing is everywhere in his work, here no less than in those stories that have already entered the canon of modern literature.

Modern Manners for Kids is a fun, easygoing book packed with short stories, playful poems, and simple ideas kids can try at home to bring kindness and respect into their everyday lives. Whether it’s learning to say please and thank you, figuring out how to share with others, or being a good friend on the playground, this book helps kids understand why modern manners matter—without sounding like a rule book. Each story shares an important lesson, and the poems and activities make it fun to practice at home with family and friends.

Paul Auster's signature work, The New York Trilogy, consists of three interlocking novels: City of Glass, Ghosts, and The Locked Room - haunting and mysterious tales that move at the breathless pace of a thriller.

From mystery and crime to romance and tragedy, in this collection you will discover award-winning writing that effortlessly spans genre and style. Witness the excess and luxury of 1920s America in The Great Gatsby, experience profound meditations on death in The Bridge of San Luis Rey, as well as Poirot's very first murder case in The Mysterious Affair at Styles.

What fun can a four-person harem get up to? Quite a lot. With Anna joining the harem, they've discussed what the most important thing to do is, and come to a simple conclusion: spend time together. Around town, dates, even at work. And if things get a little naughty along the way, that just adds to the fun. Sam is having the best time of his life, loving these three women he's been lucky enough to cross paths with. But Ashbury was meant to be a temporary stay, a reset before going back to his old life. Is he ready for a change of plans? ------ His Writer's Harem is a polyamorous erotic ...

College never felt this exhilarating. I felt crushed under the weight of college life, watching my confidence shrink with each passing day as I pined after a girl I couldn't bring myself to approach. Then Claire walked into my life with her knowing smile and an offer I couldn't refuse - she'd teach me everything I needed to know about being a man. My education started in this little café downtown, the kind of place where the coffee came in actual cups and the pastries looked like art. But it was her home that changed everything--that first night with her blew past every fumbling fantasy ...

When Lena marries Alex, a daring young helicopter pilot, it feels like she’s won life’s lottery. But as Russia descends deeper into a brutal war with Ukraine, Alex returns home a changed man—haunted, violent, and loyal only to the military machine that devours him. Who is Alex now? A war criminal? A looter? A man willing to commit a horrific act to save his dead friend’s wife and children from a predatory bank? War claims Alex, and he becomes a ghost in Lena's life. A ghost who sends her money—huge sums. And yet, she is left to raise their son alone in a world growing colder by ...

Short Stories in Arabic for Intermediate Learners has been written especially for students from low-intermediate to intermediate level, designed to give a sense of achievement, a feeling of progress and most importantly - enjoyment! Mapped to B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference, these eight captivating stories are designed to give you a sense of achievement and a feeling of progress when listening.

Some truths hide in plain sight. Others whisper from locked doors, static-filled frequencies, and pages that were never printed. Things I Wasn’t Supposed to Know is a haunting anthology of modern supernatural horror—each story a first-person account of knowledge that should’ve stayed buried. From cursed livestreams to echoing tunnels, from unlisted hospital wings to languages that think back, this collection explores what happens when the veil of reality wears thin… and you peer through. They warned you not to look. You did anyway. And now it knows your name.

What if the real horror isn’t the ghost… but the truth it reveals? In this chilling collection, ghosts don’t just haunt—they unravel mysteries, distort reality, and change lives forever. From eerie whispers that hide sinister secrets to spectral encounters that shift the fabric of existence, each story will keep you guessing until the final, haunting twist. Inside, you’ll find: A forgotten house that never existed… or did it? A reflection that moves just a little too slowly. A babysitter who realizes her job might last forever. A missing roommate who was never supposed to be ...

Some neighbors share sugar. We shared everything. A journey of passion, pleasure, and self-discovery. This intimate memoir chronicles Skylar's journey from curious author to confident hotwife. What starts as a forbidden moment between new friends quickly evolves into an exploration that challenges everything she thought she knew about fidelity, attraction, and her own sexuality. Follow Skylar and Chris as they accept their first invitation to an exclusive swingers club, where champagne flows freely and inhibitions melt away under dimmed lights. With unflinching honesty, Skylar details their...

Ten stories. One thin line between what happened—and what followed you home. Near Enough to Kill Me is a chilling collection of first-person supernatural encounters that feel too real to dismiss—but just strange enough to doubt. Told with confessional honesty and raw psychological detail, each tale slips quietly from reality into something far darker. From haunted motel rooms and vanishing children to phone calls from the dead and the thing that waits beneath your bed, these “true-ish” stories draw from urban legends, addiction recovery, liminal horror, and the quiet dread of being ...

A marvelous collection of Poems and Short Stories from Robert E. Kearns - Award Winning author of Hy Brasil: Island of Eternity, Crabb, Carnivore, Freedom is For the Few, Ossuary, Embers and A Donnybrook Affair. In this work Kearns provides us with thought provoking poems, and an array of incredible stories. . Now with a Five Star editorial review from Readers' Favorite, Poems & Short Stories Vol. 1 is the perfect introduction to the author's work, which can be cherished over and over.

Fairies, elves, demons... Secrets and desire... Dark humour, magic, wonder... Twelve stories that will transport you into other worlds, or twisted versions of our own. If you had magic, what would you do with it? If you loved someone, how far would you go?

Urban Fairy Tales: Totally Twisted Part 2 Get ready to laugh out loud with Urban Fairy Tales: Totally Twisted Part 2! This new collection takes classic stories and spins them into hilariously modern adventures.What's Inside? We've reimagined your favorite characters like Sleeping Beauty, Chicken Little, Pinocchio, and Alice in Wonderland, giving their timeless tales a fresh, comical twist. Prepare for a delightful blend of silliness and wit that will have you giggling from start to finish.Instant Download & Free Preview Dive into this enchanting, modernized world of humor instantly! Urban ...