Anthologies & Short Stories

Book SynopsisA vitally alive and ever-surprising collection of stories from the Booker Prize-shortlisted, Women''s Prize-winning author of How to be both and the critically acclaimed Seasonal quartet ''Bold and sensitive. Smith''s prose is a joy'' IndependentIndividually lucid and luminous, these tales resonate subtly together. In examining the distances and connections between ourselves and others, expertly inching us closer to the bone, Ali Smith''s storytelling has never seemed so necessary, so moving or so joyous.*****''Captures quiet epiphanies of the extraordinary in the mundane'' Sunday Times ''These stories fizz with life'' The Times Literary Supplement

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Book SynopsisAcross seven original tales from master of science fiction Peter F. Hamilton, Manhattan in Reverse offers captivating glimpses into incredible worlds – with characters old and new.'Each short story has enough ideas for a whole novel' – Ken Follett, author of The Pillars of the EarthFollowing the events of Judas Unchained, Paula Myo returns. In the title story Manhattan in Reverse, the detective is on the case of a species believed to be without sentience – until it attacks the human colonisers. And, in The Demon Trap, Paula is dispatched to investigate a terrorist attack – and a motive that will be hard to unravel. Elsewhere, Watching Trees Grow tells of a murder in an alternative 1800s Oxford, and The Forever Kitten raises questions of eternal youth – and the sacrifices required to pursue it.With all his usual brilliantly conceived storytelling, Peter F. Hamilton’s talents are on full display in Manhattan in Reverse.Trade ReviewA rare collection from one of sci-fi’s more engaging storytellers -- Sunday TelegraphHamilton is often associated with space operas unusual even in that genre for both scale and mass; one of the best stories here, “Watching Trees Grow”, depicts the human race’s expansion out from its home world as the background to an immortal Javert’s inexorable solution to a whodunit. He also usefully reminds us that it is possible for people of somewhat conservative views to be humane; the title story is an effective puzzle concluding in a moral point that does not only apply to alien planets -- TLSThe collection’s highpoint is the excelled novella “Watching Tress Grow”, set in an alternate reality in which Rome never fell and most citizens are immortal -- GuardianIf you’re looking for a collection of truly well-written and engaging short science fiction stories, then Manhattan in Reverse is a great read -- SciFiNowWith all his usual imagination for futuristic technology, complexity of character and brilliantly conceived storytelling Peter F. Hamilton shows through this collection of work what it is that makes him Britain's number one science fiction writer . . . Peter F. Hamilton is at the top of his game and this short story collection just reinforces that fact. If you are a fan you will absolutely love this collection, but newcomers will find this an excellent introduction to his work without having to commit to a full-length novel. Highly recommended -- WordsinInkThe stories here show many of Peter’s strengths, highlighting key human themes in a variety of different settings in an entertaining way. There are those great ideas, still: super-technology, evolution, planets connected by wormholes, alien biology and habits. However, here the typical widescreen baroque of those larger epic narratives have been replaced by something a little more focused and intimate, but these are still engaging and fun -- SFFWorld

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Book SynopsisWilliam Burroughs' work was dedicated to an assault upon language, traditional values and all agents of control. Produced at a time when he was at his most extreme and messianic, The Job lays out his abrasive, incisive, paranoiac, maddened and maddening worldview in interviews interspersed with stories and other writing. On the Beat movement, the importance of the cut-up technique, the press, Scientology, capital punishment, drugs, good and evil, the destruction of nations, Deadly Orgone Radiation and whether violence just in words is violence enough Burroughs' insights show why he was one of the most influential writers and one of the sharpest, most startling and strangest minds of his generation.

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Book SynopsisWes Anderson''s Major Netflix adaptation of Roald Dahl''s The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Ralph Fiennes, Dev Patel, Sir Ben Kingsley, Richard Ayoade, Rupert Friend and Asa Jennings set for release October 2023!In the Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, seven tales of the bizarre and unexpected are told by the grand master of the short story, Roald Dahl.Enter a brilliant, sinister and wholly unpredictable world. Here you will find the suggestion of other-worldly goings on in a dark story about a swan and a boy; the surprising tale of a wealthy young wastrel who suddenly develops a remarkable new ability; and meet the hitchhiker whose light-fingers save the day.''An unforgettable read, don''t miss it'' Sunday TimesRoald Dahl, the brilliant and worldwide acclaimed author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, Matilda, and many more classics for children, Trade ReviewThe absolute master of the twist in the tale * Observer *An unforgettable read, don't miss it * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisA man and woman fall in love in a seaside town. The only trouble is, they're both married to other people. A schoolmaster is scandalized by his sweetheart riding a bicycle.A woman falls in love with a series of men, each of whom leave her in different ways. Chekhov's stories capture Russian provincial life in the late nineteenth century while Garnett's translations make these classic works feel as vivid as if they were written yesterday. This exclusive selection by New Yorker writer Janet Malcolm is unmissable for the enthusiast and a brilliant introduction for anyone interested in one of the nineteenth century's greatest writers.

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Book SynopsisElizabeth Taylor is finally being recognised as an important British author: one of great subtlety, great compassion and great depth - Sarah WatersElizabeth Taylor, highly acclaimed author of classic novels such as Angel, A Game of Hide and Seek and Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont, is also renowned for her powerful, acutely observed stories. Here for the first time, the stories - including some only recently rediscovered - are collected in one volume. From the awkward passions of lonely holiday-makers to the anticipation of three school friends preparing for their first dance, from the minor jealousies and triumphs of marriage to tales of outsiders struggling to adapt to the genteel English countryside, with a delicate, witty touch Elizabeth Taylor illuminates the nuances of ordinary lives.Books included in the VMC 40th anniversary series include: Frost in May by Antonia White; The Collected Stories of Grace Paley; Fire from Heaven by Mary Renault; The Magic Toyshop by Angela Carter; The Weather in the Streets by Rosamond Lehmann; Deep Water by Patricia Highsmith; The Return of the Soldier by Rebecca West; Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston; Heartburn by Nora Ephron; The Dud Avocado by Elaine Dundy; Memento Mori by Muriel Spark; A View of the Harbour by Elizabeth Taylor; and Faces in the Water by Janet FrameTrade ReviewElizabeth Taylor is finally being recognised as an important British author: one of great subtlety, great compassion and great depth * Sarah Waters *Taylor has remarkable skill. In all the stories there is a peculiarly satisfying mixture of wit and generosity. Their human depth is such that they can be read again and again * Margaret Drabble *Taylor's writing is honed, even laconic, especially in dialogue. Her wit, while sharp, is buoyant. She focuses on the domestic as a theatre of secret barbarism ... These are Taylor's people, beautifully present and poignant as they play out the comedy of their lives -- Helen Dunmore * The Times *Must Reads: Taylor's wicked, subversive stories are a mordant delight * Sunday Times *Elizabeth Taylor is finally being recognised as an important British author: one of great subtlety, great compassion and great depth. -- Sarah WatersTaylor has remarkable skill. In all the stories there is a peculiarly satisfying mixture of wit and generosity. Their human depth is such that they can be read again and again. -- Margaret DrabbleTaylor's writing is honed, even laconic, especially in dialogue. Her wit, while sharp, is buoyant. She focuses on the domestic as a theatre of secret barbarism ... These are Taylor's people, beautifully present and poignant as they play out the comedy of their lives. -- Helen Dunmore * The Times *

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Book SynopsisClassic crime fiction''s ''Indiana Jones'' Tony Medawar unearths more unpublished and uncollected stories from the Golden Age of suspense, including John Bude, John Dickson Carr, Dorothy L. Sayers and Julian Symons.Five books in, and the selection here might well be the strongest yet. This series continues to delight with the high standard of forgotten gems that Medawar uncovers, and there's sufficient range to ensure that all fans of the genre will find something to enjoy. Book 6 can't come soon enough.'Jim Noy, author of The Red Death MurdersThe end of the First World War saw the rise of an insatiable public appetite for clever and thrilling mystery fiction and a new kind of hero the modern crime writer. As the genre soared in popularity, so did the inventiveness of its best authors, ushering in a Golden Age of detective fiction two decades of exemplary mystery writing: the era of the whodunit, the impossible crime and the locked-room mystery, with stories that have thrilled and baTrade Review‘An annual treat – almost like the summer version of a Christie for Christmas.’—Kate Jackson, author of The Pocket Detective and Cross Examining Crime ‘One of the best mixed anthologies I’ve come across … If you’re already a vintage crime fan, then this is one to grab; and if you’re new to the genre, then you’ll find this a very enjoyable way to introduce yourself to some of the greats. Highly recommended!’—FictionFanBlog ‘A veritable treasure trove of classic short stories’—Daily Mail ‘Tony Medawar triumphs again with this treasure trove of lost Golden Age gems.’—John Curran, author of The Hooded Gunman ‘In bringing to public awareness some of the forgotten, neglected, or simply unknown stories that the great and the good of the form produced, these collections have become a source of great excitement, and a must-read for even the most ardent student of the Golden Age.’—The Invisible Event

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Book SynopsisThis is where the story should end, but life is not as kind as literature...'A journey to Acapulco gradually becomes a descent into the underworld. An elderly South American writer instructs a protégé in the subterfuges of entering work for provincial literary prizes. A litany unfolds, offering sixty-nine reasons why not to dance with Pablo Neruda.The melancholy folklore of exile,' as Roberto Bolaño once put it, pervades the fourteen haunting stories of Last Evenings on Earth. Set in the Chilean exile diaspora of Latin America and Europe, and peopled by Bolano''s beloved failed generation,' this collection was the first to introduce the English-speaking world to Bolaño's immeasurable gifts as a short-story writer.TRANSLATED BY CHRIS ANDREWSMay be the most haunting and mesmerising collection I have ever read' Daily TelegraphIt is a shame that Bolaño has no more evenings on earth, his unique voice asserting the imp

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Book SynopsisA thrilling anthology of short stories from Star Trek Explorer magazine, collected for the first time! Featuring tales by Una McCormack, Gary Russell, Michael Carroll, John Peel, Chris Dows, Chris Cooper, and Greg Cox. This incredible collection features illustrated stories starring iconic characters such as Will Riker, Benjamin Sisko, Jonathan Archer, and Kate Pulaski, plus fan-favourite alien enemies including the Borg. Stories included are: Control by John Peel A take starring Jonathan Archer and his loyal dog, Porthos. The Guardian by Gary Russell A prelude to the classic episode “What are Little Girls Made Of?” The Disavowed by Christopher Cooper The crew of the Enterprise lose all memory of William Riker! Paghabi by Chris Dows Guinan is invaded by a sinister force. Pulaski 2.0 by Greg Cox Doctor Katherine Pulaski experiences life as an android. The Expert by Gary Russell A family is torn apart when the Borg strike. Scramble by Greg Cox A return to the noir world of Dixon Hill The Mission by James Swallow Espionage runs rife aboard Deep Space 9. Things Can Only Get Better by Una McCormack Kira Nerys and Garak discuss their opposing ideologies. Frontier Medicine by Michael Carroll Doctor Julian Bashir embarks on a career defining adventure. By Special Request… by John Peel Miles O’Brien and Julian Bashir enjoy some rest and recreation… with a difference! The Victim by John Peel Garak moves in for the kill, but can he pull the trigger? You Can’t Buy Fate by Keith R.A. Candido A first contact mission doesn’t go according to plan. Summer Days Can Last Forever by Michael Collins The dull 1950’s town of Patterson creek is livened up by some unusual visitors.

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Book SynopsisThe second in a two volume collection of short stories by the acclaimed author of Empire of the Sun', Crash' and Super-Cannes'. The new edition is introduced by Adam Thirwell.With eighteen novels over four decades from The Drowned World' in 1962 to his final novel Kingdom Come' in 2006 J.G. Ballard is known as one of Britain's most celebrated and original novelists.However, during his long career he was also a prolific writer of short stories; in fact, many people consider that he is at his best in the short-story format. These highly influential stories have appeared in magazines such as New Worlds, Amazing Stories and Interzone, and in several separate collections, including The Terminal Beach', The Venus Hunters', Vermilion Sands', Low-Flying Aircraft' and Myths of the Near Future'.Set out in the original order of publication and frequently the point of conception for ideas he further developed in his novels, these stories provide an unprecedented opportunity to see the imaginatioTrade Review‘A marvel … there is something a little shaming in reading Ballard: you have to face the fact that there exist writers with such fresh imaginations they can’t write five pages without stumbling on an alternate world’ Zadie Smith ‘Each of Ballard’s 98 short stories is like a dream more perfectly realized than any of your own … Simply a master story writer – the maker of unforgettable artefacts in words, each as absolute and perplexing as sculptures unviewable from a single perspective’ Jonathan Lethem ‘One of the most haunting, cogent and individual imaginations in contemporary literature’ William Boyd

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Book SynopsisCommissioned by George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozois, these tales of dangerous women by the most stellar names in fiction are available for the first time in three-volume paperback.George R.R. Martin is the bestselling author of A Song of Ice and Fire, the inspiration for HBO's hit series Game of Thrones.This first volume features an original 35,000 word novella by George R.R. Martin. The Princess and the Queen'' reveals the origins of the civil war in Westeros (before the events in A Game of Thrones), which is known as the Dance of the Dragons, pitting Targaryen against Targaryen and dragon against dragon.Other authors in this volume of warriors, bad girls and dragonriders include worldwide bestselling authors Brandon Sanderson, Lawrence Block and Nancy Kress.DANGEROUS WOMEN 1Gardner Dozois's introductionGeorge R. R. Martin, The Princess and the Queen'Carrie Vaughn, Raisa Stepanova'Nancy Kress,'Second Arabesque, Very Slowly'Lawrence Block, I Know How to Pick Em'Megan Abbott, My HeartTrade Review‘This meaty collection delivers something for nearly every reader’s taste as it explores the heights that brave women can reach and the depths that depraved ones can plumb’Publisher’s Weekly ‘Reads like Martin’s outline for a Game of Thrones prequel that never wasEntertainment Weekly

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Book SynopsisHERE BE DRAGONSA unique collection of stories by the greatest fantasy writers working today.Sparking myths and legends from Asia to Europe, Africa to North America, dragons are the most universal and awe-inspiring of magical creatures.Whether they are fearsome, rampaging monsters or benevolent sages with much to teach humanity, dragons bring creation, destruction, and adventure in stories told all around the globe.In this landmark collection, award-winning editor Jonathan Strahan combines nearly thirty never-before-seen short stories and poems, written by modern masters of science fiction and fantasy, and illustrations by acclaimed artist Rovina Cai.Featuring stories from Scott Lynch, R.F. Kuang, Garth Nix, Ken Liu, Kate Elliott, and many more, THE BOOK OF DRAGONS breathes fresh life and fire into the greatest magical beasts of all.Trade ReviewWINNER OF THE LOCUS AWARD FOR BEST ANTHOLOGY OF THE YEAR ‘A heaping hoard of literary gems that fans of dragon-powered stories will surely treasure’KIRKUS ‘THE BOOK OF DRAGONS seems almost certain to be the most significant fantasy anthology of 2020’LOCUS ‘There is not a single false note among these 29 stories and poems of dragons collected by Strahan … With myriad approaches to its subject, this wide-ranging anthology is a treasure trove of wonder’PUBLISHERS WEEKLY ‘A colourful assortment of dragons reimagined … Something for everyone and a reader will likely come away hungry for more’STRAITS TIMES

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Book SynopsisThis anthology of rare stories of crime and suspense brings together 18 tales from the Golden Age of Detective Fiction for the first time in book form, including uncollected stories by Ngaio Marsh and John Dickson Carr. The Golden Age of detective fiction had begun inauspiciously with the publication of E.C. Bentley's schismatic Trent's Last Case in 1913, but it hit its stride in 1920 when both Agatha Christie and Freeman Wills Crofts latterly crowned queen and king of the genre had crime novels published for the first time. They ushered in two decades of exemplary mystery writing, the era of the whodunit, the impossible crime and the locked-room mystery, with stories that have thrilled and baffled generations of readers.This new volume in the Bodies from the Library series features the work of 18 prolific authors who, like Christie and Crofts, saw their popularity soar during the Golden Age. Aside from novels, they all wrote short fiction stories, serials and plays and although moTrade Review‘Tony Medawar triumphs again with this treasure trove of lost Golden Age gems.’—John Curran, author of The Hooded Gunman 'For the third year running it has been an annual treat – almost like the summer version of a Christie for Christmas.' Kate Jackson, author of The Pocket Detective

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Book SynopsisFrom ‘one of the greatest writers of our time’ (Toni Morrison) – the author of Their Eyes Were Watching God and Barracoon – a collection of remarkable short stories from the Harlem Renaissance With a foreword by Tayari Jones, author of An American MarriageTrade Review‘wickedly funny’ THE OBSERVER NEW REVIEW ‘Published in one gorgeous volume for the first time … [these] stories are fascinating, harrowing and beautifully written’ Stylist ‘this collection reaffirms [Hurston’s] status as a truly visionary writer.’ Vogue UK ‘the rediscovery of [Hurston’s] work has been one of the literary joys of recent decades.’ The Financial Times ‘Illuminating’, ‘every day is a good day to read Zora Neale Hurston’s brilliant writing’ REFINERY29 ‘[A] jewel of the Harlem Renaissance’ New Statesman ‘Hitting a Straight Lick With a Crooked Stick … helps illuminate Hurston’s path to iconic status’ ‘Add [Hurston’s] matchless powers of observation, exemplary fidelity to idiomatic speech and irresistible engagement with folklore, and the outcome is a collection of value to more than Hurston completists. Any addition to her awe-inspiring oeuvre should be met with open arms.’ New York Times Book Review ‘Fans and scholars of Hurston’s work and the uninitiated alike will find many delights in these complex, thoughtful and wickedly funny portraits of black lives and communities… [this] is a significant testament to the enduring resonance of black women’s writing.’ Washington Post ‘Decades on, this new collection is a powerful reminder of [Zora Neale Hurston’s] lasting resonance.’ Time Magazine ‘Fluid, polymathic voice; what a class act’ Naoise Dolan, author of Exciting Times Praise for Barracoon ‘A searing reminder of how recently American slavery ended, and the depth of the pain it caused’ The Economist ‘A deeply affecting record of an extraordinary life’ Daily Telegraph ‘Barracoon and its long path to print is a testament to Zora’s singular vision amid so many competing pressures that continue to put us at war with ourselves’ Huffington Post

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Book SynopsisThe wonderful story collection from the author of Standard DeviationHeiny''s work does something magical: gives women''s interior lives the gravity they so richly deserve and makes you laugh along the way' Lena DunhamLike Cheever mixed with Ephron' New York TimesSimply wonderful, I savoured every page' GuardianMaya's dog is dying, and she is planning to leave her boyfriend. On the whole she feels worse about the dog.Nina thought it might be difficult to summon the moral fortitude to have an extramarital affair with a Presbyterian minister living above the garbage, but she discovers that almost anything is possible.A teenager finds an affair with her history teacher too sealed off from the rest of her life, like the last slice of cake under a glass dome.These women are best friends, roommates and mistresses. They tipple and titillate, fantasize and fumble, worry and wander. They make poor choices in men and children's magicians and wise choices in what to wear to meet their lovers' wiveTrade Review‘Adulterers, platonic roommates, and suburban neurotics have never been more relatable’ US Vogue ‘A wry, bittersweet debut … like Cheever mixed with Ephron’ New York Times Book Review ‘Lorrie Moore’s influence is palpable … these enjoyable stories mark the arrival of an accomplished voice.’ Independent ‘No matter how good you imagine it is, it's better’ Glamour US ‘The stories, which read like Woody Allen meets Candace Bushnell, can be fascinatingly sleazy. But they are always funny’ Daily Mail ‘The buzziest book of 2015 … This whip-smart collection about women wrapped up in all kinds of love affairs will have you laughing out loud’ Entertainment Weekly ‘A book about heartache, adultery, love, and loss that somehow manages to be both laugh-out-loud funny and wise, sometimes in the very same sentence … This book is amazing, brilliant, and nothing short of wonderful’ Jennifer Close, author of Girls in White Dresses and The Smart One ‘Heiny’s smart and stylishly-written stories are a delight. The women who populate this book are wonderfully human and relatable, both hapless and full of heart’ Adelle Waldman, author of The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P ‘Exquisitely-composed stories (all featuring women in various states of love), Heiny’s book takes a disarming and wry look at the inherent nature of betrayal and secrets within relationships’ Elle UK ‘Heiny explores sex, relationships and the internal lives of young women in this charmingly candid collection … Following their stories is like sitting at a dive bar tossing back deceptively pretty, surprisingly strong drinks with a pal who may not always make the best decisions but always comes away with the most colourful tales’ Kirkus ‘Writerly seduction … heart-rending’ Janet Maslin, New York Times ‘Fizzingly funny short stories’ Lucy Hughes-Hallett, Observer

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Book SynopsisOates's imagination is as unique, dystopian and vivid as Lewis Carroll's' ROSE TREMAIN''A master storyteller'' THE TIMES''Electric'' NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEWZero-sum games are played for lethal stakes in these arresting stories by one of America's most acclaimed writers.A brilliant young philosophy student bent on seducing her famous philosopher-mentor finds herself outmaneuvered; diabolically clever high school girls wreak a particularly apt sort of vengeance on sexual predators in their community; a woman stalked by a would-be killer may be confiding in the wrong former lover; a young woman is morbidly obsessed by her unfamiliar new role as mother. In the collection's longest story, a much-praised cutting-edge writer cruelly experiments with drafts of his own suicide.In these powerfully wrought stories that hold a mirror up to our time, Joyce Carol Oates has created a world of erotic obsession, thwarted idealism, and ever-shifting identities. Provocative and stunning, Zero-Sum reinTrade Review‘Zero-Sum is brilliant – bloodied, breathless, weird’ A. K. Blakemore, author of The Manningtree Witches ‘A genuine, sharp chronicler of our times, with a remarkable ability to sway from keen modernity to complete Gothic’ Gillian Flynn, author of Gone Girl ‘A writer of extraordinary strengths’ Guardian ‘American’s pre-eminent fiction writer’ New Yorker

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Book SynopsisI Wish Someone Were Waiting For Me Somewhere explores how a life can be changed irrevocably in just one fateful moment. A pregnant mother''s plans for the future unravel at the hospital; a travelling salesman learns the consequences of an almost-missed exit on the motorway in the newspaper the next morning; while a perfect date is spoilt by a single act of thoughtlessness. In those crucial moments Gavalda demonstrates her almost magical skill in conveying love, lust, longing, and loneliness.Someone I Loved is a hauntingly intimate look at the intolerably painful, yet sometimes valuable consequences that adultery can have on a marriage and the individuals involved. A simple tale, yet long in substance, Someone I Loved ends like most great love affairs, forever leaving you wanting just one more moment.Trade ReviewHer books have both wit and a whimsical charm * Sunday Telegraph *Gavalda sees through ordinary appearances to people's hidden longings... A gifted literary stylist * Vogue *A distant descendant of Dorothy Parker * Voici *A collection as tender as it is scathing * Le Monde *

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Book SynopsisThese seven stories were the last that Carver wrote. Among them is one of his longest, ''Errand'', in which he imagines the death of Chekhov, a writer Carver hugely admired and to whose work his own was often compared. This fine story suggests that the greatest of modern short-story writers may, in the year before his untimely death, have been flexing his muscles for a longer work.Trade ReviewCarver's stories celebrate some lasting aspects of the human condition, however minimal, conjuring up a quality of fellow feeling, which gives the stories a compelling, dry-eyed poignancy, a melancholy but intensely moving authenticity -- William Boyd * Daily Telegraph *This dazzling little collection is a treat * Guardian *All the stories in this collection are superb. Each sucks the reader, with magical speed, into the hearts of the characters, while seeming to say almost nothing about them. And they are not always gloomy, these hearts * Independent *A collection of stories it would be hard to forget -- Peter Kemp * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisJulian Barnes is the author of thirteen novels, including The Sense of an Ending, which won the 2011 Man Booker Prize for Fiction, and Sunday Times bestsellers The Noise of Time and The Only Story. He has also written three books of short stories, four collections of essays and three books of non-fiction, including the Sunday Times number one bestseller Levels of Life and Nothing To Be Frightened Of, which won the 2021 Yasnaya Polyana Prize in Russia. In 2017 he was awarded the Légion d'honneur.Trade ReviewPulse is Barnes’s 17th book and is a masterclass in the shorter form. -- Elizabeth Day * Observer *Julian Barnes writes so exquisitely that every page of this collection contains literary pearls * Mail on Sunday *All the stories in Pulse have the absolute completeness and density of the very best short fiction * New Statesman *Masterclasses in the form, full of the sidelong wit and intelligence that make the writer one of our most consistently deft short-form stylists * Daily Telegraph *Barnes' stylish prose, eye for emotional detail and sense of absurdity never let him down... He suits the short story very well * Literary Review *

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Book SynopsisMen and women of passion and action live, fight, love and die in scenes of dramatic intensity. From haunting tragedy on the snow-capped peak of Kilimanjaro to brutal sensationalism in the bullring; from rural America with its deceptive calm to the heart of war-ravaged Europe, each of the stories in this classic collection is a feat of imagination, and a masterpiece of description. The Snows of Kilimanjaro is one of the best known and loved collections of stories by one of the greatest literary novelists of the twentieth century.Trade ReviewStamped with the urgency of Hemingway's style ... revealing tenderness of feeling beneath descriptions of brutality * The Guardian *An excellent story-teller, intense and skilful in planning and bringing off his effects * Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisMuch maligned in pre-war Germany, the short story enjoyed a creative rebirth in 1945. Initially imported by the Allies, the form also matched perfectly the prevailing mood of irony, objectivity and mistrust of the didactic. With the original German text running alongside English translations, this collection features stories from eight outstanding post-war authors including Heinrich Böll, Ilse Aichinger and Reinhard Lettau which students will find both educational and engrossing. Böll's opening story ''Pale Anna'' follows a soldier returning home, his situation comparable to that of the writer in the first months of peace: he knows no-one and has few words not linked to painful memories. This poignant narrative is followed by a variety of tales representing the diversity of the time and including satires, explorations of private obsessions and experiments in form and language.

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Book SynopsisThe Collected Stories - a stunning volume of William Trevor''s unforgettable short stories William Trevor is one of the most renowned figures in contemporary literature, described as ''the greatest living writer of short stories in the English language'' by the New Yorker and acclaimed for his haunting and profound insights into the human heart. Here is a collection of his short fiction, with dozens of tales spanning his career and ranging from the moving to the macabre, the humorous to the haunting. From the penetrating ''Memories of Youghal'' to the bittersweet ''Bodily Secrets'' and the elegiac ''Two More Gallants'', here are masterpieces of insight, depth, drama and humanity, acutely rendered by a modern master.''A textbook for anyone who ever wanted to write a story, and a treasure for anyone who loves to read them'' Madison Smartt Bell''Extraordinary... Mr. Trevor''s sheer intensity of entry into the lives of his people...proceeds to uncovTrade Review“Extraordinary . . . Mr. Trevor’s sheer intensity of entry into the lives of his people . . . proceeds to uncover new layers of yearning and pain, new angles of vision and credible thought.”—The New York Times Book Review“One of the finest writers now at work in our language . . . No writer practicing the form today moves with nimbler assurances than Trevor across such an impressive gamut of social types and emotional connections.”—The Boston Globe“The indisputable master of twentieth-century fiction . . . Trevor’s carefully chiseled, lyrical prose—at once ironic and elegiac—is addictive, his insights acutely compassionate. The tales are haunting and profound.”—Publishers Weekly“A textbook for anyone who ever wanted to write a story, and a treasure for anyone who loves to read them.”—Madision Smartt Bell, USA Today“The range of characters that Trevor manages to bring onstage is little short of astonishing. . . . A remarkable record of the distinctive imprint that Trevor has left on what is arguably this century’s quintessential art form.”—New York Newsday Table of ContentsThe Collected Stories A Meeting in Middle AgeAccess to the ChildrenThe General's DayMemories of YoughalThe TableA School StoryThe Penthouse ApartmentIn at the BirthThe Introspections of J. P. PowersThe Day We Got Drunk on CakeMiss SmithThe Hotel of the Idle MoonNice Day at SchoolThe Original Sins of Edward TrippThe Forty-seventh SaturdayThe Ballroom of RomanceA Happy FamilyThe Grass WidowsThe Mark-2 WifeAn Evening with John Joe DempseyKinkiesGoing HomeA Choice of ButchersO Fat White WomanRaymond Bamber and Mrs. FitchThe Distant PastIn IsfahanAngels at the RitzThe Death of Peggy MeehanMrs. SillyA Complicated NatureTeresa's WeddingOffice RomancesMr. McNamaraAfternoon DancingLast WishesMrs. Acland's GhostsAnother ChristmasBroken HomesMatilda's England: 1. The Tennis Court; 2. The Summer-house; 3. The Drawing-roomTorridgeDeath in JerusalemLovers of Their TimeThe Raising of Elvira TremlettFlights of FancyAttractaA Dream of ButterfliesThe Bedroom Eyes of Mrs. VansittartDownstairs at Fitzgerald'sMulvihill's MemorialBeyond the PaleThe Blue DressThe Teddy-bears' PicnicThe Time of YearBeing Stolen FromMr TennysonAutumn SunshineSunday DrinksThe Paradise LoungeMagsThe News from IrelandOn the ZattereThe Wedding in the GardenLunch in WinterThe Property of Colette NerviRunning AwayCocktails at Doney'sHer Mother's DaughterBodily SecretsTwo More GallantsThe Smoke Trees of San PietroVirginsMusicEvents at DrimaghleenFamily SinsA TrinityThe Third PartyHoneymoon in TramoreThe PrintmakerIn Love with AriadneA Husband's ReturnCoffee with OliverAugust SaturdayChildren of the HeadmasterKathleen's FieldAcknowledgments

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Book SynopsisPhyllis Granoff received a PhD. from Harvard University in Sanskrit and Indian Studies and Fine Arts in 1973. She teaches Sanskrit and Indian Religions at McMaster University on Hamilton, Ontario, edits the Journal of Indian Philosophy and continues to work on traditional and modern Indian literature.Phyllis Granoff received a PhD. from Harvard University in Sanskrit and Indian Studies and Fine Arts in 1973. She teaches Sanskrit and Indian Religions at McMaster University on Hamilton, Ontario, edits the Journal of Indian Philosophy and continues to work on traditional and modern Indian literature.

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Book SynopsisOne of the most remarkable artists of our age.'' MARIO VARGAS LLOSA THE BOOK OF SAND was the last of Borges'' major collections to be published. The stories are, in his words, ''variations on favourite themes... combining a plain and at times almost colloquial style with a fantastic plot''. It includes such marvellous tales as ''The Congress'', ''Undr'' and ''The Mirror and the Mask''. Also included are the handful of stories written right at the end of Borges'' life - ''August 25, 1983'', ''Blue Tigers'', ''The Rose of Paracelsus'' and ''Shakespeare''s Memory.

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Book SynopsisIf one theme unifies the 11 tales collected here, it is that of longing. Written after her return from Kenya and during the dark days of the Nazi occupation, they derive their themes and locales from Isak Dinesen''s childhood in Denmark. Isak Dinesen was the pen-name of Karen Blixen, who was born in Rungsted, Denmark in 1885. After studying art at Copenhagen, Paris and Rome, she married her cousin, Baron Bror Blixen-Finecke, in 1914. Together they went to Kenya to manage a coffee plantation. After their divorce in 1921, she continued to run the plantation until a collapse in the coffee market forced her back to Denmark in 1931.

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Book SynopsisSlick, upbeat and funny, these stories inspired the popular musical and film Guys and Dolls.''Of all the high players this country ever sees, there is no doubt but that the guy they call the Sky is the highest.. He will bet all he has, and nobody can bet any more than this''.

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Book SynopsisNumbers in the Dark is a collection of short stories covering the length of Italo Calvino''s extraordinary writing career, from when he was a teenager to shortly before his death. They include witty allegories and wise fables; a town where everything has been forbidden apart from the game of tip-cat; a pitiable tribe watching the flight paths of guided missiles from outside their mud huts; a computer programmer considering the possible sequence of a series of brutal acts; and dialogues with Henry Ford, a Neanderthal and the gloomy, overthrown Montezuma ...Trade Review'The author's command of detail and his fine, inventive imagination, his ability to turn ideas upside down and inside out, his awareness of the comic capacity of everyday life, are always ready to surprise and delight.' Literary Review

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Book SynopsisFrom fabulous enchantments and supernatural horrors to subtler, more psychological terrors, the best of nineteenth-century fantastic literature is collected here by Italo Calvino. These mysterious and macabre tales include Hoffmann''s nightmarish ''The Sandman'', Poe''s terrifying ''The Tell-Tale Heart'' and Dickens''s chilling ghost story ''The Signal-Man'', and relatively unknown works from celebrated writers including Honoré de Balzac, Henry James, Sir Walter Scott, Guy de Maupassant and Robert Louis Stevenson, alongside lesser-known contributors. Each story comes with a fascinating introduction by Calvino.Trade Review'Describes imaginary worlds with the most extraordinary precision and beauty' - Gore Vidal 'One of the most playful, intelligent and inventive minds in the whole of European fiction' - Philip Hensher, Mail on Sunday

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Book SynopsisThe complete short stories of the masterful Irish writerFairy tales, ghost stories, detective fiction and comedies of manners—the stories collected in this volume made Oscar Wilde's name as a writer of fiction, showing breathtaking dexterity in a wide range of literary styles. Victorian moral justice is comically inverted in Lord Arthur Savile's Crime and The Canterville Ghost, and society's materialism comes under sharp, humorous criticism in The Model Millionaire, while The Happy Prince and The Nightingale and the Rose are hauntingly melancholic in their magical evocations of selfless love. These small masterpieces convey the brilliance of Wilde's vision, exploring complex moral issues through an elegant juxtaposition of wit and sentiment.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best work

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Book SynopsisThe early short stories of an essential 20th century literary personageHerbert George Wells was perhaps best known as the author of such classic works of science fiction as The Time Machine and War of the Worlds. But it was in his short stories, written when he was a young man embarking on a literary career, that he first explored the enormous potential of the scientific discoveries of the day. He described his stories as a miscellany of inventions, yet his enthusiasm for science was tempered by an awareness of its horrifying destructive powers and the threat it could pose to the human race. A consummate storyteller, he made fantastic creatures and machines entirely believable; and, by placing ordinary men and women in extraordinary situations, he explored, with humor, what it means to be alive in a century of rapid scientific progress.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking w

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Book Synopsis''The mystery of Life, the mystery Of Death, I see Darkly as in a glass...''Christina Rossetti (1830-94) is perhaps the most contradictory of the great Victorian poets. She writes of the world''s beauty, but fears that it may be deceptive, even deadly. She is a religious poet, but much of her work is driven by uncertainty. Her poems are restrained, even secretive, but they seek nothing less than the mystery of Life and Death.This edition contains Rossetti''s strongest and most distinctive work: poetry (including ''Goblin Market'', ''The Prince''s Progress'', and the sonnet sequence ''Monna Innominata''), stories (including the complete text of Maude), devotional prose (with nearly fifty entries from the ''reading diary'' Times Flies), and personal letters. Those poems which Rossetti published, and those which she withheld from publication, are here brought together in chronological order, allowing the reader to observe her poetic trajectory. This edition also records the major revision

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Book SynopsisIn this volume Paul Vincent presents a compelling collection of prose fiction, memoirs and anecdotes centring on Amsterdam from the seventeenth to the twenty-first century. His selection offers a rare insight into the history and culture of the city. The subjects range from Rembrandt to the persecution of the Jews in World War 2, from barricades in a working-class district during the Depression to a writer''s unhealthy obsession with a massage parlour. These eighteen newly-translated tales give the reader, and the traveller, a tantalizing glimpse of the Amsterdam that lies beyond the tourist guidebooks.Table of ContentsGerard Brandt: Vondel in Hiding Arnold Houbraken: Rembrandt Catches a Pupil Red-Handed J. Colerus: Spinoza is Banned from the Jewish Community J.C. Nomen: Peter the Great as a Ship's Carpenter W. Otto: An Opponent inveighs against the Tram Herman Heijermans: Amstel Jacob Israël de Haan: The Black Cat Anonymous: Barricades in the Jordaan Frans Pointl: Amsterdam 1945-1946 Simon Carmiggelt: Itchy Feet Remco Campert: Single to Amsterdam Abel J. Herzberg: Letter to my Grandson Anton Valens: Goldfish Pieter Olde Rikkert: Who's Afraid of Allah Akbar? Sanneke van Hassel: He Directs the Traffic Thomas Heerma van Voss: Massage Parlour Margriet de Moor: A Stroke of Luck Robert Anker: Pain in the Spleen

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Book SynopsisTable of ContentsHis Wife ; A Lady with a Dog ; The Duel ; A Hard Case ; Gooseberries ; Concerning Love ; Peasants ; Angel ; The Russian Master ; Terror ; The Order of St. Anne

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Book SynopsisThe three short fictions in this unique collection, Sarrasine, The Unknown Masterpiece, and The Girl with the Golden Eyes, deal with the relationship between artistic ideals and sexual desires. They show Balzac's mastery of the seductions of storytelling, and are among the 19th century's richest explorations of life and art.Table of ContentsSARRASINE; THE UNKNOWN MASTERPIECE; THE GIRL WITH THE GOLDEN EYES

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Book SynopsisBest-known as the creator of the original private eye, Philip Marlowe, Raymond Chandler was born in Chicago in 1888 and died in 1959. Many of his books have been adapted for the screen, and he is widely regarded as one of the very greatest writers of detective fiction.Trade ReviewRaymond Chandler is a star of the first magnitude -- Erle Stanley Gardner[T]he prose rises to heights of unselfconscious eloquence, and we realize with a jolt of excitement that we are in the presence of not a mere action tale teller, but a stylist, a writer with a vision -- Joyce Carol Oates * New York Review of Books *Raymond Chandler is a master * New York Times *Anything Chandler writes about grips the mind from the first sentence * Daily Telegraph *Nobody can write like Chandler on his home turf, not even Faulkner. . . A great artist * The Boston Book Review *

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Book SynopsisA philandering art dealer tries to give up casual love affairs - seeking only passionate kisses as a substitute. A man recounts his personal history through the things he has stolen from others throughout his life. A couple chart the journey of their five year relationship backwards, from awkward reunion to lovelorn first encounter. And, at the heart of the book, a 24-year old young woman, Bethany Mellmoth, embarks on a year-long journey of wishful and tentative self-discovery.The Dreams of Bethany Mellmoth depicts the random encounters that bring the past bubbling to the surface; the impulsive decisions that irrevocably shape a life; and the endless hesitations and loss-of-nerve that wickedly complicate it. These funny, surprising and moving stories are a resounding confirmation of Boyd''s powers as one of our most original and compelling storytellers.Trade ReviewBoyd shows why he's so often compared to Graham Greene.... brilliant and bewitching collection of stories * Financial Times *Like stealing badges, like shucking oysters, once you have one of these stories you can't stop. Lights out was after midnight * Times *Clever and, yes, cinematic * Observer *The stories, as is often the case with Boyd, are packed with characters whose lives are upended by random upheavals * Sunday Times *Unfailingly amusing and clever * Guardian *In a 2008 essay, Boyd explained that writing short stories gives him a welcome chance "to change habits, to experiment, to take risks, to try out different voices". And in the best stories here, it's a chance he takes full advantage of, serving up an impressive variety of settings and protagonists * Daily Telegraph *Highly entertaining * Mail on Sunday *Boyd is dependably a master of what's most true: an always elegant realist whose characters will get under your skin * GQ *No one charts the highs and lows of the human condition like Boyd * Red *A riveting short story collection from one of the best * Woman & Home *Varied, entertaining * Daily Mail *Spiky, sparking and simply brilliant * Sunday Mirror *Enjoyably spot-on * Sunday Times *What Boyd does so mesmerisingly...is make the insignificant utterly significant...you are confronted by the full force of Boyd's undeniable talent for storytelling, as he inventively plays with time and form, and infuses his prose with themes of lust, love and emotional incompetence * Stylist *William Boyd is arguably one of Britain's finest living writers...compelling and highly entertaining * Sunday Express *He is a skilled and humorous storyteller, and his pleasure in exploring life's uncertainties is apparent * i *Boyd delights in themes of deceit and getting one over on the competition...such finely-honed prose * Evening Standard *Quite brilliant. There has been no decline in the wit, the style, the precise observation * The Tablet *These stories, by one of Britain's most compelling authors about how the post is inescapable - from random encounters to impulsive acts - is funny and surprising * Elle *Boyd has always been eloquent, his narratives memorably stylish * Literary Review *Smart, funny and compelling * The Times Books of the Year *

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Book SynopsisIn the four decades since his first book appeared in print, Terry Pratchett has become one of the world’s best-selling and best-loved authors. A Blink of the Screen charts the course of Pratchett’s long writing career: from his schooldays through to his first writing job on the Bucks Free Press,;Trade ReviewClever, neatly constructed and funny…Pratchett is one of the great comic writers and storytellers of our time * Guardian *

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Book Synopsis**AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER NOW**LONGLISTED FOR THE JHALAK PRIZE''Full of depth. . . wonderful writing.'' SARAH HALL''Dazzlingly good. . . crackling with playfulness and intelligence.'' DANIELLE McLAUGHLIN ''Precise, surreal and emotionally devastating'' LUCY CALDWELLHow do you know this is all real and happening? How can you be sure you haven't already died in the earthquake and are just living in the afterlife?'In her highly anticipated English-language debut, Yan Ge explores isolation in nine iridescent, witty and wondrous tales. Both contemporary and ancient, real and surreal, the stories in Elsewhere range from China to Dublin to London and Stockholm.From a group of writers lounging on the edge of a disaster zone to a mandarin ostracised from his old court trying to avoid assassination, and from a woman who inexplicably loses her voice to a couple who meet all too fleetingly at a cinema in D

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Book SynopsisTalented sportsmen inexplicably go absent without leave, crafty gamblers conspire in the hope of making a killing, and personal rivalries and jealousies come to a head on fields of play… The classic stories in this new British Library anthology show that crime is a game for all seasons.

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Book SynopsisAnna Jacobs was born in Lancashire at the beginning of the Second World War. She has lived in different parts of England as well as Australia and has enjoyed setting her modern and historical novels in both countries. She is addicted to telling stories and recently celebrated the publication of her one hundredth novel, as well as sixty years of marriage. Anna has sold over four million copies of her books to date.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Bhattacharya's satire navigates the gaps of time and space to speak to our present time with wisdom. While these stories are rooted in the past, they nevertheless successfully critique our modernity." * Chicago Review of Books *“Hawa Hawa and Other Stories is a blistering and unforgiving portrait of our times. It reminds readers to peer beneath the surface, even if for a moment. Despite being strongly rooted in the realities of daily life, the stenches, sounds, and sights of Calcutta add elements of surrealism to the stories. Hawa Hawa and Other Stories is a slow, disconcerting read but as long as there is abuse and misuse of power, station, and wealth, Nabarun Bhattacharya’s words will live on.” * Scroll.in *Table of Contents1. Hawa Hawa2. Spy3. Long Live the Counter-Revolution4. The Murderer’s Brother5. Men of the Fountain6. Night’s End7. A Piece of Nylon Rope8. Deathgrant9. Toy10. Olde Kahar’s Fortune11. 4+1

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Book SynopsisA darkly atmospheric and beautifully crafted meditation on otherness, from an award-winning young writer

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Book SynopsisBrendan Behan?s genius was to strike a chord between critic and common man. When he died, at the age of 41, he was arguably the most celebrated Irish writer of the twentieth century.After the Wake is a collection of seven prose works and a series of articles. It includes all that exists of an unfinished novel, ?The Catacombs?, and pieces together items whose comic and fanciful accounts evoke Flann O?Brien. Also featured are works of acknowledged excellence, ?The Confirmation Suit? and ?A Woman of No Standing?. This writing bears all the hallmarks of the author?s talent ? an ability to bring characters to life quickly and unforgettably, a sharp ear for dialogue and dialect, and a natural vocation for story-telling.This diverse collection is a delightful and entertaining windfall from one of Ireland''s most colourful writers. An essential complement to Behan''s master works.Trade Review'A Marvellous collection of Behan's work which lets us see again that we had a genius among us.' -- The Sunday Independent‘A superb introduction by Peter Fallon…Behan (who) had an incredible literary gift demonstrated impeccably in After the Wake. Contains some previously unpublished material and boasts a cavalcade of 21 pieces, some fictional, some autobiographical, charting the political, social and cultural history of Irish life through the eyes of one of her most talented but troubled sons.’ ‘After the Wake is an Emerald Isle gem and much like the man himself a heady mixture of “hell and heaven and despair and presumption and hope”.’ -- UK Blog, Book Me

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Book SynopsisThis fascinating collection gave birth to a new paradigm when Akira Kurosawa made famous Akutagawa's disturbing tale of seven people recounting the same incident from shockingly different perspectives.Trade Review"Because I was a Japanese major in college, a very nice edition of a translation of Rashomon and Other Stories by Ryunosuke Akutagawa had been left for me at my bedside, to read while I was there and to take with me when I left. Thoughtful, I thought. And fitting. Even more fitting, that friend and I no longer speak, and I am sure we have very different versions as to why that is." -- David Rakoff - The New York Times Book Review

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Book Synopsis

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