Dover Thrift Editions: Short Stories

Published in 1927, Ernest Hemingway's second collection of short stories, Men Without Women, explores themes of alienation, loss, and grief. Hemingway examines men who are estranged from the women in their lives as they navigate situations involving bullfighting, prizefighting, infidelity, divorce, and death. The collection contains fourteen stories, including the critically acclaimed "Hills Like White Elephants," "In Another Country," and "The Killers."

A seminal figure of twentieth-century science fiction, Philip K. Dick ponders the very nature of humanity in this anthology of five gripping short stories and novellas that were first published in early 1950s pulp magazines. Written during the Cold War, "The Defenders" presents a tale of robotic warfare. "Foster, You're Dead" criticizes consumerism and the Cold War, when the military-industrial complex shifted responsibility for self-defense to families by selling bomb shelters. "Piper in the Woods" is a clever short story concerning the erosion of reality. A military psychologist is tasked with solving the mystery of why military personnel are behaving like plants upon their return from an asteroid. "Second Variety" is prescient in its anticipation of the hazards of self-evolving robots that can operate independently of one another. In "The Variable Man," Earth relies on computer technology and a time traveler to predict their chances of victory in a fight against aliens. This collection is an excellent introduction to one of the most original minds of the modern era.

After writing such popular novels as War and Peace and Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy experienced a religious crisis. By the late 1870s, Tolstoy had left the Russian Orthodox Church and embarked on a quest for spiritual truth, writing profound fable-like short stories. This volume features five enlightening tales that exemplify Tolstoy's spiritual journey, illuminating the paths to human virtue and salvation. Forgiveness blooms amidst injustice in "God Sees the Truth but Waits," while "What Men Live By" reveals the universal need for compassion. "Where Love Is, There God Is Also" is a nod to the Catholic hymn Ubi Caritas and exhibits the transformative power of divine love and charitable acts. "The Three Hermits" emphasizes the simplicity of faith and sincere prayer, and "Divine and Human" thunders the moral call to help those in need, defying personal risk and societal norms.

"Something that cuts across them like a bar of light . . . patiently illumines all their problems, and at another place shoots over or through them as if they did not exist. We shall give that bar of light two names, fantasy and prophecy." -E. M. Forster, Aspects of the Novel Six compelling tales intertwined with fantasy spotlight the profound humanism that E. M. Forster developed in his later novels. These early writings provide readers with a thought-provoking exploration of the human spirit, allowing for the possibility of a life-altering epiphany that frequently conflicts with conventional wisdom. From the prescient science fiction dystopia "The Machine Stops" to the title story, "The Eternal Moment," each character is engulfed by a separation of reality from illusion and every experience prompts a transformation within. With opposing perspectives at play, they can never be the same. This extraordinary short story collection includes "Co-Ordination," "The Eternal Moment," "Mr. Andrews," "The Machine Stops," "The Point of It," and "The Story of the Siren."

In his shorter fiction, Dickens investigated hitherto unexplored themes and engaged in experiments with narrative techniques. This collection focuses on his tales of the supernatural, impressionistic sketches, and dramatic monologues.

"Ideal for students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the literary works of an iconic American author. Very highly recommended." ― The Midwest Book Review Although better known today for his novels, in the 1920s F. Scott Fitzgerald ranked among the top writers of magazine fiction. Fitzgerald represented the dreams and aspirations of the post-World War I generation in his life as well as his works. With his glamorous wife, Zelda, and cosmopolitan social circle, the gifted young wordsmith projected the perfect image for narrating tales of restless youth in a hectic world. These short stories offer insights into many themes, characters, and techniques that emerged in Fitzgerald's later works. "Winter Dreams," written three years before The Great Gatsby, shares the concept of commitment to an idealized dream. "Babes in the Woods," developed while the author was still a student at Princeton, evidences the roots of This Side of Paradise. A dozen other selections ― including "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," "The Camel's Back," "The Four Fists," and "The Cut-Glass Bowl" ― offer further insights into the author's growing skills as well as individual examples of his sparkling prose, understated wit, and deft characterizations.

Ten classic short stories by author and humorist P. G. Wodehouse tell the amusing antics and occasional mishaps of young gentleman Bertie Wooster, who regularly relies on the infinite wisdom of his consummate valet, Jeeves, for help. Lighthearted and delightful to read, these stories include some of the most popular from the Jeeves canon: "Jeeves Takes Charge," in which Bertie and Jeeves first meet, and "Bertie Changes His Mind," the only story told from Jeeves's point of view.

In 1914, Mary Borden, a wealthy heiress from Chicago and mother of three, volunteered for the French Red Cross during World War I. She quickly rose to the position of director of the French field hospitals in la zone interdite, known to English language speakers as the "Forbidden Zone," near the Western Front of Belgium and France. Borden was troubled by the brutality she witnessed and the irony of wartime nursing-healing soldiers only to send them back to war and possibly their death. Her remarkable memoir, The Forbidden Zone, is a collection of vignettes written from 1914 to 1918. Initially censored due to its realistic portrayal of the war, her lyrical prose captures the chaos, devastation, and raw emotions of battle through seventeen fragmented stories, revealing the complex realities faced by nurses and soldiers. Borden's narrative articulates the alienation, confusion, and dehumanization of industrialized warfare, offering modern readers a profound understanding of the war's atrocities-effectively putting them in the room where it happened.