Modern American Short Story

A selection of the best and most representative contemporary American short fiction from 1970 to 2020, including such authors as Ursula K. LeGuin, Toni Cade Bambara, Jhumpa Lahiri, Sandra Cisneros, and Ted Chiang, hand-selected by celebrated editor and anthologist John Freeman. IN THE PAST fifty...

Every city has a story. Some will chill you long after the last page. From the neon glow of Las Vegas to the haunted tunnels beneath New York, America hides dark secrets in every skyline. This gripping anthology dives into 50 terrifying urban legends, each rooted in real locations, whispered folklore, and chilling mysteries that refuse to stay buried. 👻 Inside, you’ll discover: • Ghostly apparitions roaming iconic landmarks • Cursed objects and sinister doppelgängers • Unexplainable creatures lurking in lakes and alleyways • Vanished souls who demand to be remembered • ...

Featured in the Netflix series Love, Death & Robots Bestselling author Ken Liu selects his multiple award-winning stories for a groundbreaking collection—including a brand-new piece exclusive to this volume. With his debut novel, The Grace of Kings, taking the literary world by storm, Ken Liu...

Held captive by her employers -- and by her own demons -- on a mysterious farm, a widow struggles to reunite with her young son in this uniquely American story of freedom, perseverance, and survival. Darlene, once an exemplary wife and a loving mother to her young son, Eddie, finds herself...

A dazzling debut, a blazingly original voice: the ten stories in St. Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves introduce a radiant new talent. In the collection’s title story, a pack of girls raised by wolves are painstakingly reeducated by nuns. In “Haunting Olivia,” two young boys make...

With this, his first collection of stories, Raymond Carver breathed new life into the American short story and instantly became both the recognized master of the form and one of our best-loved fiction writers. Carver shows us the humor and tragedy that dwell in the hearts of ordinary people; his stories are the classics of our time.

A Christmas Carol—Reimagined for the Streets King built his empire on silence, loyalty, and fear. Money flowed. Power followed. And regret stayed buried—until Christmas brought the dead back to collect what was owed. Haunted by three spirits tied directly to his past, present, and future, King is forced to confront the lives shattered in his rise to the top. A fallen brother. A woman who saw too much. A grandmother who speaks for every family left behind. And a future shaped by the very man King unknowingly trained to replace him. As secrets unravel and betrayals surface, King must ...

Twelve powerful, deeply human stories capturing the heart, struggle, and resilience of Black life. Afro Bougie Blues invites readers into intimate, unfiltered moments where ordinary men and women confront heartbreak, trauma, identity, generational wounds, and the decisions that shape their destinies. Meet Alexis, who longs for motherhood but must wrestle with a painful past before embracing her future. Walk with Rodney, a Gulf War veteran trying to silence memories that refuse to release him. Witness BeBe transform her life and her sense of worth, one courageous step at a time. Listen as ...

Behind quiet main streets, shuttered diners, and towns with only one stoplight, stories are passed down in lowered voices. Everyone knows them. No one agrees on the details. Urban Legends of Small-Town America is a chilling collection of short, atmospheric tales inspired by rural whispers, local secrets, and places where nothing ever seems to happen—until it does. Each chapter explores a different town, legend, or unexplained event: disappearances no one reports anymore, buildings locals refuse to enter, people who are spoken of in the past tense even though they’re still around. These ...

Deep within the cold, primordial forest and the Algonquin people's consciousness lives the Wendigo: a towering, emaciated being with translucent skin draped over its skeletal frame like a veil of mortality. Its hollow eyes gleam like fiery coals, emanating a malevolent crimson glow that mirrors its unquenchable craving for human flesh. An extraterrestrial shifter, stranded on our planet millennia ago, assumes the forms of not only humans but also hideous creatures in order to survive. The story of the Wendigo spans millennia, entwining native folklore with modern-day mysteries.

The long-awaited next collection by the master of short stories and author of the award-winning Paper Menagerie and Other Stories. Thought-provoking, heartbreaking, and wonderous are some of the many ways the fifteen stories in this collection will engage readers. Ken Liu continues to delight...

Pieces of Our Past: Stories of Our Future is a compelling collection of short stories about the dreams we carry, the paths we leave behind, and the quiet moments when we wonder who we might have been — and who we still could become. In "Someone Anonymous," the search for a missing piece of oneself takes center stage. As the characters grapple with the sense that a better version of themselves may be waiting just out of reach, readers are drawn into the enigmatic world of SA, and the hopeful possibility that what they’re searching for has been with them all along. SA will help them find ...

Like the timeless parables of Jesus, these contemporary stories seep into your consciousness, shift your viewpoint, and reveal insights into the rhythms of life's occurrences. Embark on an unforgettable journey across the heartland of America with "A Test of Character in Royal Swirls," the second volume of "Spirit-Filled Parables for Modern America." This visually stunning collection of 19 soul-stirring parables is brought to life by over 100 vibrant, full-color images that seamlessly blend the mundane and divine. In these pages, you'll traverse the rich tapestry of the American experience,...

Lisa Johnson isn’t a fan of Valentine’s Day, until she is surprised with a bouquet of roses from a secret admirer. Once she finds out who he is, she falls head over heels for him in this holiday instalove steamy romance. This short BWWM interracial story is 3,000 words long and is for mature readers only!

Nikki is tired of being single, childless, and unhappy. At thirty-five, she ready to start a family, and offers her best friend a chance to be her baby daddy. Her plan goes according to plan, however, what she didn’t expect was to catch feelings for him… The Proposal is a steamy BWWM interracial romance. This short story is 4,400 words and is for mature readers only.

Ashely Williams is down on her luck. Swimming in debt, her baby daddy won’t pay child support, and broke, her life wasn’t going anywhere. It wasn’t until she meets a sexy Irish man on Saint Patrick’s Day, when her life turns around. Luck of the Irish is a steamy interracial BWWM romance. This short story of 4,400 words is for mature readers only.

Today is the day I marry a complete stranger. I don’t know anything about him as he was matched with me by the producers of the dating TV show, Marrying a Stranger. As I walk down the aisle, I am shocked to find out he’s white. As a black woman, I never expected to marry a white man, however the more I get to know him, the more I fall for him. Our wedding day was beautiful, but our wedding night was even hotter. This steamy BWWM interracial romance is 3,500 words long and is for mature readers only.

Ange doesn't expect to find love, after all her past relationships with men have been farcical at best. Her past experiences have left her already fragile self-esteem in tatters.There wasn't much to begin with. She'd never expect a playboy businessman to give her a second look. But, then again she never expected to find herself in a lounge tapping her feet to music. After all she's a frumpy little accountant whose idea of a good time is a great mystery and her favorite tub of icecream on a Friday night. So, What would a hot male specimen with his pick of women want with her? She doesn't ...

19 short stories from the deep end. (Contains some salty language and subject matter--reader discretion advised.)

“The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” is Washington Irving’s famous short story of the Headless Horseman that is now part of American culture. - Accelerated Reader AR Quiz No. 7115 BL 11.0 AR Pts: 3.0 -The language of almost two hundred years ago has been extensively modernized -End notes, interpretation, and discussion of major themes follow the text -Biographical information on Irving included -Every effort has been made to keep the story as close to the original as possible -Modern readers will better understand and appreciate one of the first truly American short stories. For more short ...