Christopher Dolley

A great selection of authors but all the endings were consistently miserable.

This volume contains sixteen examples of the English short story at its best: immediately captivating and hugely entertaining. Some stories are classics, such as James Joyce's "The Dead"; others - like 'Mr Loveday's "Little Outing" by Evelyn Waugh - are relatively unknown and a joy to discover. The collection also includes Charles Dickens' premonitory tale, "The Signalman" which was inspired by his own horrific experiences in a train crash. Katherine Mansfield's "The Voyage", meanwhile, is a show more sensual narrative centering on a boat journey and set in her native New Zealand. Virginia Woolf's "Kew Gardens" is different again, dramatically evoking its setting, awash with colour and light. show less

Some of these stories were a bit obtuse for my liking, but others were more enjoyable. The Signalman was quite creepy, as was The Withered Arm. I particularly enjoyed The Voyage and The Country of the Blind. I probably wouldn't recommend this book for people who aren't used to short stories, as some of stories are quite heavy reading. However, if you are a fan of the short story genre, this book is worth reading.

Includes Dickens, Hardy, Conrad, Kipling, Wells, Maugham, Joyce, Woolf, Lawrence, Mansfield, Cary, Huxley, Pritchett, Waugh, Greene, Angus Wilson