Short Stories

One of 46 books in the bestselling Little Black Classics series, to celebrate the first ever Penguin Classic in 1946. Each book gives listeners a taste of the Classics' huge range and diversity, with works from around the world and across the centuries - including fables, decadence, heartbreak, tall tales, satire, ghosts, battles and elephants.

Horror novelist Nick Steen (whose imagination has escaped from a portal to another dimension situated within his own brain following ill-advised dabblings with a cursed typewriter) is haunted by two murdering men-monkeys intent on peeling their victims apart like massive human bananas (whose names are Throttle and Bribes, hence the title). Can Nick protect two young siblings (whose names he can't remember) plus erstwhile editor Roz Bloom from the aforementioned murdering men-monkeys before it's too late?

The Fall of the House of Usher, like many of Poe's stories, blends Gothic horror, psychology, and symbolism to explore themes of madness, decay, fear and death. Through the description of the House of Usher, its inhabitants, and the mysterious events that take place there, Poe plunges us into an oppressive, unsettling atmosphere, where architecture and the human psyche are mystically linked.

"The Nameless City" is a haunting tale of cosmic horror by H. P. Lovecraft, first published in 1921. It follows an intrepid explorer who ventures deep into the Arabian desert in search of a lost, ancient ruin—a city so old that it predates all known human civilizations. As he descends into its crumbling subterranean tunnels, he uncovers strange, reptilian artifacts and eerie bas-reliefs that depict a race of grotesque, non-human beings that once ruled this desolate place.

A quiet unassuming scrivener is hired by a successful Wall Street law firm, but his strange demeanor is an unwelcome presence.

Dostoïevski nous offre une plongée dans les profondeurs de l'âme humaine, où les personnages semblent suspendus entre le rêve et la réalité, emprisonnés dans un espace-temps indéfini. La ville de Saint-Pétersbourg, avec ses rues désertes et ses ponts brumeux, devient un symbole d'une humanité en quête de sens, égarée dans un labyrinthe de ses propres illusions.Le héros, un rêveur sans nom, incarne la figure de l'errant spirituel, en proie à une quête désespérée de l'amour et de la compréhension.

Für Jimmy wird in Traum wahr – er, der mittellose Student aus dem Nirgendwo Irlands, hat es geschafft sich mit ein paar Jungs anzufreunden, die entweder als Söhnemänner von vor Geld strotzender Bonzen oder wenigstens als gestandene Party-Löwen einen glorreichen Ruf genießen und diese Nacht ist er zusammen mit diesen Legenden auf Achse – eine unvergessliche Zeit für Jimmy.

Die große Höredition von Ferdinand von Schirach: mit 26 Stories, 2 Romanen und 13 Essays. Ferdinand von Schirach erzählt unglaubliche Geschichten, die dennoch wahr sind. Präzise, schnörkellos, lakonisch wie ein Raymond Carver und gerade deswegen mit unfassbarer Wucht. Diese Edition zeigt neben seinen Stories die ganze Bandbreite seines Schaffens. Denn auch seine Romane sind "fesselnd wie ganz großes Kino" (BRIGITTE). In meisterhaften Interpretationen sind hier Der Fall Collini und Tabu zu hören.

Publié en 1857, Nouvelles Histoires extraordinaires d’Edgar Allan Poe est un recueil de nouvelles qui plonge le lecteur dans l’univers sombre et mystérieux de Poe. Ce recueil rassemble des récits où se mêlent l’horreur psychologique, et le mystère, dans une exploration des peurs profondes et des zones d’ombre de l’esprit humain.

Edgar Allan Poe gilt als Ikone der amerikanischen Kurzgeschichte und Mitbegründer dieser literarischen Gattung. Die Elemente des Mysteriösen, Phantastischen, Unbegreiflichen, Grotesken, Rätselhaften, Transzendentalen schwingen immer als subtiles Klanggebilde in seine Erzählungen mit und regen aufgeschlossene Gemüter zum Nachdenken über all die unzähligen Dinge, die wir nicht imstande sind auch nur annähernd zu erklären, wohltuend an. In der vorliegenden Geschichte stellt Poe eindrucksvoll seine humoristischen Fertigkeiten unter Beweis.

Dubliners is a collection of fifteen short stories by James Joyce, first published in 1914. They form a naturalistic depiction of Irish middle class life in and around Dublin in the early years of the 20th century. The stories were written when Irish nationalism was at its peak, and a search for a national identity and purpose was raging; at a crossroads of history and culture, Ireland was jolted by various converging ideas and influences.

In the heart of Snowbush Falls, a tale of love and redemption unfolds. Asra, a fierce lion shifter, has spent a century alone, yearning for a mate. When Kade offers refuge in the peaceful community, Asra seizes the chance to thaw her frozen heart. Reconnecting with family, Asra's new life takes a dramatic turn when her old pride arrives, stirring unresolved tensions. Amidst this chaos, she discovers Jada—her destined mate, trapped in the clutches of a cruel family. Jada, scarred by years of abuse, finds unexpected sanctuary with Asra.

The American West. A landscape hewn in vastness as its rips from Plains, to deserts, to mountain, to ocean overlaid by waves of emigration of peoples either dispossessed or searching for a new life and the American dream. These are their stories. Short stories have always been a sort of instant access into an author’s brain, their soul and heart. A few pages can lift our lives into locations, people and experiences with a sweep of landscape, narration, feelings and emotions that is difficult to achieve elsewhere.

H.G. Wells was more than a science fiction pioneer—he was a futurist, a philosopher, and an architect of ideas that continue to shape modern discussions on global governance, education, and human progress. This essential collection brings together Wells’ most influential works on civilization’s fate, world order, and the role of centralized planning in shaping the future. From the bold proclamations of The Open Conspiracy to the thought-provoking insights of World Brain, these writings lay out his vision for a unified, scientifically managed society.

Travel along a backcountry road as two bickering siblings encounter a sadistic masked menace. Watch from a couple’s window as a mysterious figure lurks through the darkness of the vacant house next door. Witness a malevolent presence threaten to unravel a man’s sanity decades after testing an urban legend.

It had felt a bit like being haunted, being pregnant. Unexpected thumps, and moments when she would be reminded that there was a little person living inside of her. For a while afterwards, sometimes it would feel like she was still inside, and Kate would tap her stomach, or say something to the baby before she remembered that she was alone. In this dark, glittering collection of short stories, Deirdre Sullivan explores the trauma and power that reside in women’s bodies.

On a hot day in late June, four boys head out into the pasture with a bag a firecrackers. If and when they return, their innocence will be left behind amongst a flurry of exploded Black Cats . . . and blood.

“One of the great … American short-story writers” exposes the darkness of the human heart in these speculative tales of terror and tragedy (George R. R. Martin).

Short stories have always been a sort of instant access into an author’s brain, their soul and heart. They can lift our lives into locations, people and experiences with a sweep of landscape, narration, feelings and emotions that is difficult to achieve elsewhere. It is difficult to propose a more gifted exponent of the short story than Kate Chopin. Her individual jewels may be brief but are laden with atmosphere and character as they run their enchanted course. Her genius will always endure.

Short stories have always been a sort of instant access into an author’s brain, their soul and heart. They can lift our lives into locations, people and experiences with a sweep of landscape, narration, feelings and emotions that is difficult to achieve elsewhere. Jack London is widely regarded as one of America’s pre-eminent writers of the great outdoors. His stories are raw and, at times, harrowing, but always dependable fare. His work also includes stories on pandemics and bizarre scientific experiments. An author so much more than the usual wrapper proclaims.

In this collection of 39 short stories, you will find the full force of his brilliant storytelling abilities encapsulated in an anthology that popped into his curious mind over the years as he reflected on everyday life, and why we do the things we do.

In 1953, in Dustville, a trio of young, handsome country boys—brothers: Silver and Oakley James and their friend Bucket Tillman—set out to make their mark on the music scene. With their tight harmonies and undeniable charm, they quickly capture the hearts of fans and industry insiders alike. As they embark on a whirlwind tour, they face the challenges of fame, the thrill of performing, and the complexities of love and friendship.

The storm arrives, unbidden yet unstoppable, sculpting the world in reckless white. The north wind, a faceless mason, works without plan or patience—bastions rise, wreaths drape, roads vanish. No symmetry, no restraint, only the wild hand of winter shaping chaos into fleeting grandeur. By dawn, the architect is gone. What remains is a frozen wonder, a masterpiece of whim and force, too perfect to last, too wild to be remade.

A time-traveling “date merchant” sells information about future disasters to clients who want to eliminate their enemies. A hedonistic space cruise takes a sinister turn when pleasure-seeking passengers fall victim to an AI’s desperate bid for freedom. Immortal aliens with an insatiable appetite for cruelty turn Earth’s inhabitants into their latest playthings.

Una vita perfetta in ogni minimo difetto. Una storia che ci insegna a guardare al di là dei pregiudizi, delle paure e delle. discriminazioni, per ricordarci come si arriva al cuore delle cose. Alessandra è una nutrizionista che ama viaggiare, Luca è un ingegnere. appassionato di cucina. Sono una coppia normale, che vive con serenità una. gravidanza perfetta, fino a pochi istanti dopo il parto, quando ai neogenitori viene. un sospetto: gli occhi a mandorla della piccola Luna vogliono forse dire qualcosa? La diagnosi arriva subito: Luna ha la sindrome di Down.