The following publication presents a three-volume collection of short stories by O. Henry. Henry’s rich canon of work is distinctive for its witticism, clever wordplay, and unexpected twist endings. His stories are full  of coincidence, humor, grim and irony, and often have surprise endings, a device that became identified with his name and cost him critical favor when its vogue had passed.   William Sydney Porter, pen name O. Henry, was an American writer known primarily for his...

‘Pride and Prejudice’, a novel by Jane Austen, was published anonymously in three volumes in 1813. A classic of English literature, written with incisive wit and superb character delineation, it centers on the Bennet family.    The novel follows the romantic entanglements of the Bennet sisters, includes themes of love, class, and, as one might guess, pride and prejudice. These are all covered with Austen’s signature wit, including the literary device of free indirect discourse that permits a particular...

‘Regret’ by Guy de Maupassant, tells a story of an old bachelor, Monsieur Saval, who is about to celebrate his 62nd birthday. The story starts with descriptions of Monsieur Saval’s life which has been rather sad and empty. Although Monsieur Saval has had a number of great opportunities, he has unknowingly let them go. The story then proceeds to tell the reader about Monsieur  Saval`s secret.  

‘Saint Joan’ , first staged in 1923, is a dramatization of the life of 15th-century French military icon and religious martyr Joan of Arc, based on the historical records of her trial in 1431. Saint Joan has become one of Shaw’s most popular plays; a film adaptation starring Jean Seberg was produced in 1957, and the play continues to be staged today. ‘Pygmalion’, a play by George Bernard Shaw was first presented on the stage in 1913. The play centers around a young cockney flower girl, Eliza...

Sherlock Holmes, a mastermind detective, first appeared in Conan Doyle’s  ‘A Study in Scarlet’, published in Beeton’s Christmas Annual of 1887. As the world’s first and only “consulting detective,” he pursued criminals throughout Victorian and Edwardian London, the south of England, and continental Europe. Although the fictional detective had been anticipated by Edgar Allan Poe and Émile Gaboriau, Holmes made a singular impact upon the popular imagination and has been the most enduring character...

The best of Saki is a collection of short stories by Hector Hugh Munro. Hector Hugh Munro was a witty British author who published under the pen name SAKI or H.H. Munro. The inspiration for the pen name “Saki” is unknown, it may be based upon a character in a poem or on a South American monkey. Given Munro’s intellect, wit, and mischievous nature, it’s possible, it was based on both simultaneously. As a writer, Munro (Saki) was a master of the short story form and is often...

‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’ is the story of one beautiful, innocent young man’s seduction, moral corruption, and eventual downfall. The story begins in the art studio of Basil Hallward, who is discussing a current painting with his witty friend Lord Henry Wotton. Henry thinks that the painting, a portrait of an extraordinarily beautiful young man, should be displayed, but Basil disagrees. Dorian then arrives, and he is fascinated as Henry explains his belief that one should live life to the...

‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ is the most renowned of Oscar Wilde’s comedies. It’s the story of two bachelors, John ‘Jack’ Worthing and Algernon ‘Algy’ Moncrieff, who create alter egos named Ernest to escape their tiresome lives. They attempt to win the hearts of two women who, conveniently, claim to only love men called Ernest. The pair struggle to keep up with their own stories and become tangled in a tale of deception, disguise and misadventure. The elaborate plot ridicules Victorian sensibilities...

Guy de Maupassant published ‘The Necklace’ on 17th February 1884 in a newspaper. It was an immediate success. The story revolves around a selfish lady named Matilda who is unsatisfied with her middle-class life and desires to enter high-class society.  One day, Matilda and her husband are invited to a party at the minister’s house. From that moment on, their life is taken a number of unexpected turns.

‘Nineteen Eighty-four’, or  ‘1984’, a novel by English author George Orwell was published in 1949 as a warning against totalitarianism. The chilling dystopia made a deep impression on readers, and his ideas entered mainstream culture : “Big Brother is watching you”, “Who controls the past controls the future”, “War is peace,” etc.