Short stories

Guy de Maupassant was an absolute master of the short story genre, delighting in clever plotting, concise style, and efficient storytelling, which he used to produce stunning pieces in a very condensed format. Maupassant specialized in realism, with its sharp criticism of lower human nature and society, and fantastic, although his ventures in the supernatural are often used as an implicit symptom of the protagonists' troubled minds - he was absolutely fascinated with psychiatry, which was nascent at the time. He produced more than 300 short stories; we selected for you 9 of the most bizarre, influent, humorous or plain shocking, from chilling horror story to playful essay on the virtue of the male mustache, through moral tale and venture in the mysteries of the unexplained. Enjoy 9 of Maupassant's best short stories: The Englishman of Etretat, The Mustache, A Mother of Monsters, A Portrait, A Widow, Madame Baptiste, The Drunkard, Magnetism, An Uncomfortable Bed.

One man's curiosity can unleash unspeakable evils...When spiritualist Mr. Bessel dabbles in the forbidden realm of astral projection, he never expects to actually succeed in projecting his spirit.As he fights to reclaim his own body, he discovers it's been possessed by a malevolent spirit with intentions far darker than his own.Now, Bessel's friend Mr. Vincey must race against time to return Bessel to his body before the imposter wreaks irreparable havoc.Blurring the boundaries between the spiritual and physical, this chilling tale by H.G. Wells is perfect for sci-fi enthusiasts and fans of Marvel's "Doctor Strange".H. G. Wells (1866-1946) was an English author and Nobel Prize in Literature nominee, prolific across several genres, and celebrated as the "father of science fiction". His notable science fiction works include the blockbuster hit adaptation "The Time Machine", "The Invisible Man", and "The War of the Worlds".

Considéré comme l'inventeur du roman policier, Edgar Allan Poe évolue tout au long de sa vie entre génie créateur et folie destructrice. Fils de comédiens désargentés, Edgar Poe est adopté après leur mort par un riche négociant avec qui il voyage en Europe. Après de brillantes études en Angleterre, le jeune homme intègre l'école militaire américaine de West Point d'où il est rapidement renvoyé. Alcoolique et sujet aux crises hypocondriaques, l'écrivain est fragilisé par la mort de sa femme, âgée de 24 ans, et décède deux ans plus tard. Longtemps considéré comme un poète maudit, ses écrits fantastiques et cauchemardesques, tels que les recueils de contes 'Histoires fantastiques' ou 'Histoires extraordinaires', sont aujourd'hui reconnus comme précurseurs du surréalisme. C'est en France, en particulier grâce à Baudelaire, son traducteur, qu'Edgar Allan Poe va connaître la notoriété avant de devenir une icône de la littérature mondialement admirée. Nouvelles sélectionnées : La chute de la maison Usher, Une descente dans le Maelstrom, La lettre volée.

Un tour d'horizon des plus beaux contes pour enfants, sous le signe du rêve et de l'évasion. Des contes des Mille et une nuits à ceux d'Andersen, les essentiels et les plus rares, de Barbe Bleue à Tom Pouce, les petits poètes en herbe y trouveront de quoi s'évader tout en permettant à leurs parents de retrouver les contes préférés de leur enfance.

De très beaux textes où le réalisme côtoie le grotesque, le fantastique ou l'absurde et ne fait pas obstacle à un foisonnement imaginaire souvent débridé. Gogol, à travers ces "petites histoires", nous donne à découvrir sa vision de la société russe du XIXe siècle, une "peinture au scalpel" pleine d'ironie et souvent drôle. Nouvelles : La brouille des 2 Ivan ; Le Nez.

C'era una volta una bella ragazza di nome Raperonzolo, che aveva avuto un'infanzia magnifica. Quando compì 12 anni, un'incantatrice chiuse Raperonzolo in un'alta torre senza porte né scale. La povera ragazza non poteva uscire, e solo l'incantatrice le poteva far visita. Come? Arrampicandosi sulla torre grazie ai lunghi capelli di Raperonzolo. Un giorno un principe azzurro passò vicino alla torre e intravide Raperonzolo. Riuscirà il principe a salvare la ragazza o verrà fermato dall'incantatrice? Bambini e adulti, immergetevi nel mondo dei fratelli Grimm, tra racconti popolari e leggende! Venite a scoprire i racconti meno conosciuti e a rileggere i classici più preziosi, tutti raccolti in questa collezione di 53 fiabe.I fratelli Grimm sono probabilmente i cantastorie più conosciuti al mondo. Tra le loro fiabe più famose possiamo trovare "Cenerentola", "La Bella e la Bestia" e "Cappuccetto Rosso" e non c'è quasi nessuno che non sia cresciuto con le avventure di Hansel e Gretel, Raperonzolo e Biancaneve.L'eccezionale eredità letteraria di Jacob e Wilhelm Grimm è costituita da racconti popolari e dal leggende tedesche ed europee. Le loro collezioni sono state tradotte in tutte le lingue europee nel corso della loro vita e in ogni lingua vivente oggi.

17-årige Ruth er lige flyttet på landet med sine forældre og to storesøstre. Forældrene er midt i en af deres evindelige uoverensstemmelser, hvor moren presser på, og faren ikke vil give sig. Ruth går på opdagelse i skoven for at slippe for at høre på det, og da hun kommer til en smuk, indhegnet park, kan hun ikke modstå fristelsen til at prøve at komme derind. Men lige idet hun er i færd med at kravle over hegnet, stopper en stemme hende. Det er den unge godsejer, der har fået øje på hende i mere end én forstand.Cornelia Levetzow (1836-1921) var dansk forfatter og udgav frem til 1891 alle sine bøger under pseudonymet J. Hun opnåede stor anerkendelse i både Danmark og udlandet for sine romaner og noveller. Hendes debutroman fra 1860, "En ung piges historie", der må betragtes som et vigtigt bidrag til den danske guvernanteroman, blev en stor succes.

Anna Erslevs "Skiftende emner", der oprindeligt blev udgivet i 1899, indeholder en række fortællinger og vers, der primært henvender sig til unge. Et gennemgående tema i historierne er samfundets sociale ulighed og den katastrofe, det kan resultere i, hvis det enkelte individ træder ved siden af, mens naturen, religionen og kærligheden indtager den centrale plads i digtene.Anna Erslev (1862-1919), dansk forfatter og redaktør, voksede op i et kulturelt præget hjem. En stor del af Erslevs forfatterskab består af små fortællinger og noveller til det helt unge publikum, men fra 1914 og frem til sin tidlige død i 1919 begav Erslev sig ud i et omfattende folkeoplysningsarbejde med værkerne "Tonekunstens mestre", "Billedkunstens mestre" og "Digtekunstens mestre". Bøgerne og kunstnerportrætterne er skrevet med stor omhu og ud fra en tydelig kærlighed til kulturens verden.

"Fra nybygdens lille kirke kimede det til jul. Underligt klingre og skarpe bares tonerne ud gennem den frostkolde luft. De trængte ind i den sølvgrå skov, over hvilken rimen havde draget sit gyldne kniplingsspind. De nåede også ind i eneboerens fattige stue, hvor han lå og ventede døden.Han mindedes svundne juleaftener, og gamle billeder fyldte hans sjæl. Han lod tanken drage på langvejsfærd til barndommens og ungdommens fjerne kyster. Han huskede hjemmet, og det syntes ham, at der tonede lyd af salmer for hans ører.Dog, det var vel kun en indbildning."Anton Andersens julefortællinger fra 1904 tager os blandt andet med til Wisconsin i USA, hvor en gammel skandinavisk eneboer ligger for døden. Han husker tilbage på de juleaftener, han fejrede i sit hjemland, der nu føles så fjernt. Ligesom de andre skitser i "Juledæmring" emmer fortællingen af både nostalgi og julestemning.Forfatter og botaniker Anton Andersen (1856-1911) har udgivet flere faglitterære værker, herunder bl.a. "Fra Planternes Verden" og "Danske Forfatterinder i det nittende Hundredaar". Som skønlitterær forfatter har han udgivet en række digtsamlinger, bl.a. "Fra stille Skove" og "Fyen", og længere fortællinger som eksempelvis "Linda" og "Kaj Rosenfeldt".

The prince of the Black Isles and the inhabitants of his city have suffered under the magical power of his cousin, whom he married not knowing she was an enchantress—until the sultan from "The Story of the Vizir Who Was Punished" comes to the prince’s aid. Completing the cycle of tales that began with "The Story of the Fisherman", this is the eighth of 34 tales in the classic "Arabian Nights" collection translated by Andrew Lang.A treasure-trove of timeless stories, the One Thousand and One Nights or Arabian Nights have been loved, imitated, and added to over many centuries. Similar to the fairy tales collected by the Brothers Grimm, the Arabian Nights are drawn from the folklore of India, Iran and the Middle East, and were collected in Arabic versions throughout the medieval period; others were added as recently as the eighteenth century. These stories of the exotic East have been popularised for new generations by film adaptations such as Disney’s Aladdin, starring Robin Williams and Gilbert Gottfried in 1992, and Will Smith in 2019, and Dreamworks’ Sinbad, starring Brad Pitt and Michelle Pfeiffer. They continue to inspire writers as varied as Marcel Proust and Neil Gaiman, while numerous Bollywood and manga versions attest to their popularity around the world. These stories of magic, adventure and romance have shaped readers’ imaginations for generations, and are sure to be retold for years to come.This selection was translated by Andrew Lang from the French versions by Antoine Galland, who was the first to include the stories of Aladdin and Ali Baba. Born in Scotland in 1844, Lang was a scholar of ancient Greek, a journalist, historian, novelist and poet, and the author of 25 popular collections of fairy tales; his edition of the Arabian Nights’ Entertainment was published in 1898. He became a Fellow of the British Academy in 1906, and died in 1912.

An old man leads a deer that appears completely tame; stranger still, he claims that it is really his wife. Nor is she the first of his household to have been turned into an animal: her current state is poetic justice for her own jealous actions. A story of magic and metamorphosis, "The Story of the First Old Man and of the Hind" is the third of 34 tales in the classic Arabian Nights collection translated by Andrew Lang.A treasure-trove of timeless stories, the One Thousand and One Nights or Arabian Nights have been loved, imitated, and added to over many centuries. Similar to the fairy tales collected by the Brothers Grimm, the Arabian Nights are drawn from the folklore of India, Iran and the Middle East, and were collected in Arabic versions throughout the medieval period; others were added as recently as the eighteenth century. These stories of the exotic East have been popularised for new generations by film adaptations such as Disney’s Aladdin, starring Robin Williams and Gilbert Gottfried in 1992, and Will Smith in 2019, and Dreamworks’ Sinbad, starring Brad Pitt and Michelle Pfeiffer. They continue to inspire writers as varied as Marcel Proust and Neil Gaiman, while numerous Bollywood and manga versions attest to their popularity around the world. These stories of magic, adventure and romance have shaped readers’ imaginations for generations, and are sure to be retold for years to come.This selection was translated by Andrew Lang from the French versions by Antoine Galland, who was the first to include the stories of Aladdin and Ali Baba. Born in Scotland in 1844, Lang was a scholar of ancient Greek, a journalist, historian, novelist and poet, and the author of 25 popular collections of fairy tales; his edition of the Arabian Nights’ Entertainment was published in 1898. He became a Fellow of the British Academy in 1906, and died in 1912.

Palace intrigues abound in the story of the first calender, a wandering Sufi of royal birth: on a visit to his uncle’s kingdom, the young prince is sworn to secrecy by his cousin, who then disappears; on his return home, he finds that his father has been overthrown by the grand-vizir, who harbours a special grudge against the prince. The mystery of his cousin’s disappearance and his escape from the treacherous vizir are revealed in this, the eleventh of 34 tales in the classic "Arabian Nights" collection translated by Andrew Lang.A treasure-trove of timeless stories, the One Thousand and One Nights or Arabian Nights have been loved, imitated, and added to over many centuries. Similar to the fairy tales collected by the Brothers Grimm, the Arabian Nights are drawn from the folklore of India, Iran and the Middle East, and were collected in Arabic versions throughout the medieval period; others were added as recently as the eighteenth century. These stories of the exotic East have been popularised for new generations by film adaptations such as Disney’s Aladdin, starring Robin Williams and Gilbert Gottfried in 1992, and Will Smith in 2019, and Dreamworks’ Sinbad, starring Brad Pitt and Michelle Pfeiffer. They continue to inspire writers as varied as Marcel Proust and Neil Gaiman, while numerous Bollywood and manga versions attest to their popularity around the world. These stories of magic, adventure and romance have shaped readers’ imaginations for generations, and are sure to be retold for years to come.This selection was translated by Andrew Lang from the French versions by Antoine Galland, who was the first to include the stories of Aladdin and Ali Baba. Born in Scotland in 1844, Lang was a scholar of ancient Greek, a journalist, historian, novelist and poet, and the author of 25 popular collections of fairy tales; his edition of the Arabian Nights’ Entertainment was published in 1898. He became a Fellow of the British Academy in 1906, and died in 1912.

The Arabian Nights is an exotic collection of stories that will grab your attention from the very first page. At the heart of the collection is Scheherazade, the bride of Schahriar, Sultan of Persia. The jealous sultan marries a new girl every evening, and has her executed the following morning – until Scheherazade decides to put a stop to his cruelty, and volunteers to marry him. As clever as she is courageous, night after night Scheherazade distracts the Sultan with tales that keep him listening, and her alive, until he falls in love with her.This classic selection presents the best-loved stories from the Arabian Nights, translated into English and introduced by Andrew Lang.A treasure-trove of timeless stories, the One Thousand and One Nights or Arabian Nights have been loved, imitated, and added to over many centuries. Similar to the fairy tales collected by the Brothers Grimm, the Arabian Nights are drawn from the folklore of India, Iran and the Middle East, and were collected in Arabic versions throughout the medieval period; others were added as recently as the eighteenth century. These stories of the exotic East have been popularised for new generations by film adaptations such as Disney’s Aladdin, starring Robin Williams and Gilbert Gottfried in 1992, and Will Smith in 2019, and Dreamworks’ Sinbad, starring Brad Pitt and Michelle Pfeiffer. They continue to inspire writers as varied as Marcel Proust and Neil Gaiman, while numerous Bollywood and manga versions attest to their popularity around the world. These stories of magic, adventure and romance have shaped readers’ imaginations for generations, and are sure to be retold for years to come.This selection was translated by Andrew Lang from the French versions by Antoine Galland, who was the first to include the stories of Aladdin and Ali Baba. Born in Scotland in 1844, Lang was a scholar of ancient Greek, a journalist, historian, novelist and poet, and the author of 25 popular collections of fairy tales; his edition of the Arabian Nights’ Entertainment was published in 1898. He became a Fellow of the British Academy in 1906, and died in 1912.

When a wandering physician named Douban cures a Greek king of his leprosy, he inspires murderous jealousy in the king’s vizir, leading the king to tell a cautionary tale of his own. A story within "The Story of The Fisherman", this is the sixth of 34 tales in the classic "Arabian Nights" collection translated by Andrew Lang.A treasure-trove of timeless stories, the One Thousand and One Nights or Arabian Nights have been loved, imitated, and added to over many centuries. Similar to the fairy tales collected by the Brothers Grimm, the Arabian Nights are drawn from the folklore of India, Iran and the Middle East, and were collected in Arabic versions throughout the medieval period; others were added as recently as the eighteenth century. These stories of the exotic East have been popularised for new generations by film adaptations such as Disney’s Aladdin, starring Robin Williams and Gilbert Gottfried in 1992, and Will Smith in 2019, and Dreamworks’ Sinbad, starring Brad Pitt and Michelle Pfeiffer. They continue to inspire writers as varied as Marcel Proust and Neil Gaiman, while numerous Bollywood and manga versions attest to their popularity around the world. These stories of magic, adventure and romance have shaped readers’ imaginations for generations, and are sure to be retold for years to come.This selection was translated by Andrew Lang from the French versions by Antoine Galland, who was the first to include the stories of Aladdin and Ali Baba. Born in Scotland in 1844, Lang was a scholar of ancient Greek, a journalist, historian, novelist and poet, and the author of 25 popular collections of fairy tales; his edition of the Arabian Nights’ Entertainment was published in 1898. He became a Fellow of the British Academy in 1906, and died in 1912.

A beautiful lady asked the porter in our story to carry her things home. The porter agreed and he was invited to stay for the night but on one condition – he was not supposed to speak of that which did not concern him. It was then things took a strange turn. Three Persian Calenders came as well. Later on, the vizir joined the group. One of the ladies began singing, the other one fainted. Some slaves were brought inside, and they had to kill the guests. Do you think the porter managed to keep his promise? Find out what actually happened in "The Story of the Three Calenders, Sons of Kings, and of Five Ladies of Bagdad".This is the tenth of the 34 tales in the classical "Arabian Nights" collection, translated into English by Andrew Lang.A treasure-trove of timeless stories, the One Thousand and One Nights or Arabian Nights have been loved, imitated, and added to over many centuries. Similar to the fairy tales collected by the Brothers Grimm, the Arabian Nights are drawn from the folklore of India, Iran and the Middle East, and were collected in Arabic versions throughout the medieval period; others were added as recently as the eighteenth century. These stories of the exotic East have been popularised for new generations by film adaptations such as Disney’s Aladdin, starring Robin Williams and Gilbert Gottfried in 1992, and Will Smith in 2019, and Dreamworks’ Sinbad, starring Brad Pitt and Michelle Pfeiffer. They continue to inspire writers as varied as Marcel Proust and Neil Gaiman, while numerous Bollywood and manga versions attest to their popularity around the world. These stories of magic, adventure and romance have shaped readers’ imaginations for generations, and are sure to be retold for years to come.This selection was translated by Andrew Lang from the French versions by Antoine Galland, who was the first to include the stories of Aladdin and Ali Baba. Born in Scotland in 1844, Lang was a scholar of ancient Greek, a journalist, historian, novelist and poet, and the author of 25 popular collections of fairy tales; his edition of the Arabian Nights’ Entertainment was published in 1898. He became a Fellow of the British Academy in 1906, and died in 1912.

The second wandering Sufi tells how, as a young prince, he set off to visit the Sultan of the Indies, but never arrived. Instead, his adventures led him through danger, poverty, a secret palace, and into the clutches of a terrible genie, from which only his storytelling might save him. Continue the adventures of the three one-eyed calenders in this, the twelfth of 34 tales in the classic "Arabian Nights" collection translated by Andrew Lang.A treasure-trove of timeless stories, the One Thousand and One Nights or Arabian Nights have been loved, imitated, and added to over many centuries. Similar to the fairy tales collected by the Brothers Grimm, the Arabian Nights are drawn from the folklore of India, Iran and the Middle East, and were collected in Arabic versions throughout the medieval period; others were added as recently as the eighteenth century. These stories of the exotic East have been popularised for new generations by film adaptations such as Disney’s Aladdin, starring Robin Williams and Gilbert Gottfried in 1992, and Will Smith in 2019, and Dreamworks’ Sinbad, starring Brad Pitt and Michelle Pfeiffer. They continue to inspire writers as varied as Marcel Proust and Neil Gaiman, while numerous Bollywood and manga versions attest to their popularity around the world. These stories of magic, adventure and romance have shaped readers’ imaginations for generations, and are sure to be retold for years to come.This selection was translated by Andrew Lang from the French versions by Antoine Galland, who was the first to include the stories of Aladdin and Ali Baba. Born in Scotland in 1844, Lang was a scholar of ancient Greek, a journalist, historian, novelist and poet, and the author of 25 popular collections of fairy tales; his edition of the Arabian Nights’ Entertainment was published in 1898. He became a Fellow of the British Academy in 1906, and died in 1912.

The story of the third calender is as packed with mysteries and adventures as the tales of Sinbad the Sailor: after surviving shipwreck, the young prince finds that friendship leads him to a series of ordeals that not only wound him physically, but also force him to recognise his helplessness in the face of fate and human weakness. This tragic story brings Scheherazade’s third narrative cycle to a conclusion, in the fourteenth of 34 tales in the classic "Arabian Nights" collection translated by Andrew Lang.A treasure-trove of timeless stories, the One Thousand and One Nights or Arabian Nights have been loved, imitated, and added to over many centuries. Similar to the fairy tales collected by the Brothers Grimm, the Arabian Nights are drawn from the folklore of India, Iran and the Middle East, and were collected in Arabic versions throughout the medieval period; others were added as recently as the eighteenth century. These stories of the exotic East have been popularised for new generations by film adaptations such as Disney’s Aladdin, starring Robin Williams and Gilbert Gottfried in 1992, and Will Smith in 2019, and Dreamworks’ Sinbad, starring Brad Pitt and Michelle Pfeiffer. They continue to inspire writers as varied as Marcel Proust and Neil Gaiman, while numerous Bollywood and manga versions attest to their popularity around the world. These stories of magic, adventure and romance have shaped readers’ imaginations for generations, and are sure to be retold for years to come.This selection was translated by Andrew Lang from the French versions by Antoine Galland, who was the first to include the stories of Aladdin and Ali Baba. Born in Scotland in 1844, Lang was a scholar of ancient Greek, a journalist, historian, novelist and poet, and the author of 25 popular collections of fairy tales; his edition of the Arabian Nights’ Entertainment was published in 1898. He became a Fellow of the British Academy in 1906, and died in 1912.

Joel ja Sanna ovat miltei nelikymppinen pariskunta, jonka elämä ei ole mennyt täysin suunnitelmien mukaan. Joel on joutunut jättämään arvostetun viestintämuotoilijan työnsä ja tekee nyt töitä viestintäkoordinaattorina. Akateeminen Sanna puolestaan tekee töitä puhelinmyyjänä. Asunto on pitänyt vaihtaa töölöläiskolmiosta pieneen meilahtelaiseen kaksioon, vaikka pariskunnalla on lapsi. Tavallaan kaikki on kuitenkin vallan hyvin – ainakin siihen asti kun Joel ja Sanna lähtevät tapaamaan varsin menestynyttä tuttavapariskuntaa...Mukavuusalue on Petteri Paksuniemen tarkkanäköinen novellikokoelma.Kirjailija Petteri Paksuniemi (s. 1965) on julkaissut kaunokirjallisuutta sekä lapsille että aikuisille. Hän työskentelee myös muusikkona ja toimittajana.

A jealous husband gives his wife a talking parrot as a gift—but if you remember Gilbert Gottfried as Iago in Disney's animated Aladdin, you'll have an idea what to expect! Now the wife must somehow bamboozle the bird and outwit her husband. A story within "The Story of the Greek King and the Physician Douban", this is the seventh of 34 tales in the classic "Arabian Nights" collection translated by Andrew Lang.A treasure-trove of timeless stories, the One Thousand and One Nights or Arabian Nights have been loved, imitated, and added to over many centuries. Similar to the fairy tales collected by the Brothers Grimm, the Arabian Nights are drawn from the folklore of India, Iran and the Middle East, and were collected in Arabic versions throughout the medieval period; others were added as recently as the eighteenth century. These stories of the exotic East have been popularised for new generations by film adaptations such as Disney’s Aladdin, starring Robin Williams and Gilbert Gottfried in 1992, and Will Smith in 2019, and Dreamworks’ Sinbad, starring Brad Pitt and Michelle Pfeiffer. They continue to inspire writers as varied as Marcel Proust and Neil Gaiman, while numerous Bollywood and manga versions attest to their popularity around the world. These stories of magic, adventure and romance have shaped readers’ imaginations for generations, and are sure to be retold for years to come.This selection was translated by Andrew Lang from the French versions by Antoine Galland, who was the first to include the stories of Aladdin and Ali Baba. Born in Scotland in 1844, Lang was a scholar of ancient Greek, a journalist, historian, novelist and poet, and the author of 25 popular collections of fairy tales; his edition of the Arabian Nights’ Entertainment was published in 1898. He became a Fellow of the British Academy in 1906, and died in 1912.

An old man explains that his two black dogs are really his two brothers, whom he repeatedly saved from poverty. When he married a beautiful woman, however, all his kindnesses were forgotten, and his brothers tried to kill them. Yet the merchant’s wife was not what she seemed, as the murderous brothers would soon find out. A story of brotherly love betrayed and revenged, "The Story of the Second Old Man, and of the Two Black Dogs" is the fourth of 34 tales in the classic "Arabian Nights" collection translated by Andrew Lang.A treasure-trove of timeless stories, the One Thousand and One Nights or Arabian Nights have been loved, imitated, and added to over many centuries. Similar to the fairy tales collected by the Brothers Grimm, the Arabian Nights are drawn from the folklore of India, Iran and the Middle East, and were collected in Arabic versions throughout the medieval period; others were added as recently as the eighteenth century. These stories of the exotic East have been popularised for new generations by film adaptations such as Disney’s Aladdin, starring Robin Williams and Gilbert Gottfried in 1992, and Will Smith in 2019, and Dreamworks’ Sinbad, starring Brad Pitt and Michelle Pfeiffer. They continue to inspire writers as varied as Marcel Proust and Neil Gaiman, while numerous Bollywood and manga versions attest to their popularity around the world. These stories of magic, adventure and romance have shaped readers’ imaginations for generations, and are sure to be retold for years to come.This selection was translated by Andrew Lang from the French versions by Antoine Galland, who was the first to include the stories of Aladdin and Ali Baba. Born in Scotland in 1844, Lang was a scholar of ancient Greek, a journalist, historian, novelist and poet, and the author of 25 popular collections of fairy tales; his edition of the Arabian Nights’ Entertainment was published in 1898. He became a Fellow of the British Academy in 1906, and died in 1912.

Readers familiar with the friendly blue genie in Disney’s Aladdin films may be shocked to discover a crueller kind in Scheherazade’s first tale. When a merchant accidentally kills the son of a genie, the spirit swears to kill him in revenge, but grants him a year’s reprieve to say his goodbyes. Yet when the merchant returns on the appointed day, he meets three old men, who have a plan to avert his death. Listen as tale leads into tale in "The Story of the Merchant and the Genius", the second of 34 tales in the classic Arabian Nights collection translated by Andrew Lang.A treasure-trove of timeless stories, the One Thousand and One Nights or Arabian Nights have been loved, imitated, and added to over many centuries. Similar to the fairy tales collected by the Brothers Grimm, the Arabian Nights are drawn from the folklore of India, Iran and the Middle East, and were collected in Arabic versions throughout the medieval period; others were added as recently as the eighteenth century. These stories of the exotic East have been popularised for new generations by film adaptations such as Disney’s Aladdin, starring Robin Williams and Gilbert Gottfried in 1992, and Will Smith in 2019, and Dreamworks’ Sinbad, starring Brad Pitt and Michelle Pfeiffer. They continue to inspire writers as varied as Marcel Proust and Neil Gaiman, while numerous Bollywood and manga versions attest to their popularity around the world. These stories of magic, adventure and romance have shaped readers’ imaginations for generations, and are sure to be retold for years to come.This selection was translated by Andrew Lang from the French versions by Antoine Galland, who was the first to include the stories of Aladdin and Ali Baba. Born in Scotland in 1844, Lang was a scholar of ancient Greek, a journalist, historian, novelist and poet, and the author of 25 popular collections of fairy tales; his edition of the Arabian Nights’ Entertainment was published in 1898. He became a Fellow of the British Academy in 1906, and died in 1912.

When the second princely calender’s story of an envious man fails to appease an evil genie, his punishment is to be turned into a monkey. No longer able to speak, he nonetheless retains his greatest talent: his perfect handwriting. His gift will take him to the court of a sultan, where his true nature will finally be revealed—yet the genie who cursed him is not finished with him... Hear the resolution to the story of the second calender in this, the thirteenth of 34 tales in the classic "Arabian Nights" collection translated by Andrew Lang.A treasure-trove of timeless stories, the One Thousand and One Nights or Arabian Nights have been loved, imitated, and added to over many centuries. Similar to the fairy tales collected by the Brothers Grimm, the Arabian Nights are drawn from the folklore of India, Iran and the Middle East, and were collected in Arabic versions throughout the medieval period; others were added as recently as the eighteenth century. These stories of the exotic East have been popularised for new generations by film adaptations such as Disney’s Aladdin, starring Robin Williams and Gilbert Gottfried in 1992, and Will Smith in 2019, and Dreamworks’ Sinbad, starring Brad Pitt and Michelle Pfeiffer. They continue to inspire writers as varied as Marcel Proust and Neil Gaiman, while numerous Bollywood and manga versions attest to their popularity around the world. These stories of magic, adventure and romance have shaped readers’ imaginations for generations, and are sure to be retold for years to come.This selection was translated by Andrew Lang from the French versions by Antoine Galland, who was the first to include the stories of Aladdin and Ali Baba. Born in Scotland in 1844, Lang was a scholar of ancient Greek, a journalist, historian, novelist and poet, and the author of 25 popular collections of fairy tales; his edition of the Arabian Nights’ Entertainment was published in 1898. He became a Fellow of the British Academy in 1906, and died in 1912.

Genies don’t always grant three wishes, as a fisherman discovers when his nets drag up a small yellow pot sealed with lead. Opening the seal frees a genie, but unlike the one discovered by Aladdin, this one promises the fisherman nothing but death! Discover how the cunning fisherman escaped his fate in this, the fifth of 34 tales in the classic "Arabian Nights" collection translated by Andrew Lang.A treasure-trove of timeless stories, the One Thousand and One Nights or Arabian Nights have been loved, imitated, and added to over many centuries. Similar to the fairy tales collected by the Brothers Grimm, the Arabian Nights are drawn from the folklore of India, Iran and the Middle East, and were collected in Arabic versions throughout the medieval period; others were added as recently as the eighteenth century. These stories of the exotic East have been popularised for new generations by film adaptations such as Disney’s Aladdin, starring Robin Williams and Gilbert Gottfried in 1992, and Will Smith in 2019, and Dreamworks’ Sinbad, starring Brad Pitt and Michelle Pfeiffer. They continue to inspire writers as varied as Marcel Proust and Neil Gaiman, while numerous Bollywood and manga versions attest to their popularity around the world. These stories of magic, adventure and romance have shaped readers’ imaginations for generations, and are sure to be retold for years to come.This selection was translated by Andrew Lang from the French versions by Antoine Galland, who was the first to include the stories of Aladdin and Ali Baba. Born in Scotland in 1844, Lang was a scholar of ancient Greek, a journalist, historian, novelist and poet, and the author of 25 popular collections of fairy tales; his edition of the Arabian Nights’ Entertainment was published in 1898. He became a Fellow of the British Academy in 1906, and died in 1912.

Perhaps the most intricate of the Arabian Nights, "The Story of the Vizir Who Was Punished" begins as a second tale within "The Story of the Greek King and the Physician Douban", and provides a grim twist to the debate between the Greek king and his vizir. It then continues "The Story of the Fisherman" and leads into "The Story of the Young King of the Black Isles". Follow the twists and turns of Scheherazade’s storytelling in the seventh of 34 tales in the classic "Arabian Nights" collection translated by Andrew Lang.A treasure-trove of timeless stories, the One Thousand and One Nights or Arabian Nights have been loved, imitated, and added to over many centuries. Similar to the fairy tales collected by the Brothers Grimm, the Arabian Nights are drawn from the folklore of India, Iran and the Middle East, and were collected in Arabic versions throughout the medieval period; others were added as recently as the eighteenth century. These stories of the exotic East have been popularised for new generations by film adaptations such as Disney’s Aladdin, starring Robin Williams and Gilbert Gottfried in 1992, and Will Smith in 2019, and Dreamworks’ Sinbad, starring Brad Pitt and Michelle Pfeiffer. They continue to inspire writers as varied as Marcel Proust and Neil Gaiman, while numerous Bollywood and manga versions attest to their popularity around the world. These stories of magic, adventure and romance have shaped readers’ imaginations for generations, and are sure to be retold for years to come.This selection was translated by Andrew Lang from the French versions by Antoine Galland, who was the first to include the stories of Aladdin and Ali Baba. Born in Scotland in 1844, Lang was a scholar of ancient Greek, a journalist, historian, novelist and poet, and the author of 25 popular collections of fairy tales; his edition of the Arabian Nights’ Entertainment was published in 1898. He became a Fellow of the British Academy in 1906, and died in 1912.

‘The House of Pride, and Other Tales of Hawaii’ is an inspired collection of six short stories set in a fascinating time in Hawaiian history. It is a heartfelt collection, as the stories deal with colonisation, the loss of independence and the influx of cultures forever changing Hawaiian society. Shorts such as ‘Koolau the Leper’ deal with the leper colony on Molokai, offering a heart-breaking and passionate read. London always goes to great lengths to bring the beauty of Hawaii and it’s people to life, so much so that if you close your eyes you can see yourself there. It is an amazing collection full of wonderful characters, incredible beauty and impactful stories of a pre-statehood Hawaii.Jack London (1876–1916) was a pioneer, novelist, journalist and social activist. London was one of the first American authors to become an international celebrity thanks to his pioneering work in commercial fiction and magazines. Additionally he is accredited as a major innovator in the genre we now know as science fiction. Growing up in a working class background and spending several years homeless, he was a passionate fighter for workers’ rights, socialism, unionisation and animal rights. He would go on to be one of the highest paid authors in America thanks to his classics such as ‘Call of the Wild’, ‘White fang’ and ‘Sea Wolf’.

Det är 1950-tal i Bergslagen och jaktsäsong för traktens män. Med bössan över axeln ger de sig ut i de täta skogarna och hoppas på att få knäppa sig ett rådjur. Eller två.Älgkana är en samling kortare berättelser som utspelar sig under de snötäckta månader då geväret ligger framme. Vi får bland annat följa direktör Simmings som drömskt ser sprättande rådjur var än ögat når, och det växande problemet med utomsocknes tjuvskyttar.Nils Parling (1914-2002) var en svensk arbetarförfattare från Ludvika. Han romandebuterade 1950 och försörjde sig dessförinnan som skogs- och fabriksarbetare. Under sina levnadsår utkom han med ett femtiotal böcker.

"Det hoppande fenomenet Splunkning" är en novellsamling fylld med fantastiska berättelser av Sture Lönnerstrand. I "Ödesradion" får vi följa uppfinnarduon Jim Last och Jack Firsts komplicerade förhållande. "Inspärrade i evighetstunneln" utspelar sig under en natt som endast förekommer en gång per århundrade. Och i "Den gröna dödsmetallen" tas läsaren med till den aktiva vulkanen Krakatoa där spänningarna mellan en expedition och urinvånarna går heta. Den ena berättelsen är mer häpnadsväckande än den andra och gemensamt för dem alla är att de rör sig inom sci-fi och fantasy-genrerna.Sture Lönnerstrand (1919-1999) var en svensk författare och pionjär inom den svenska science fiction-genren. Han utkom bland annat med det lyriska fantasyeposet Där år 1941 och romanen Rymdhunden år 1954.

Set during the height of the Klondike gold rush this powerful short story follows two gold prospectors traversing the treacherous Canadian tundra. Supplies are low and their fates hang in the balance but they have no choice but to continue, it is too late to turn back. They must rely on each other to survive, they have no one else, but in this frozen waste can they trust each other with their lives? It is a powerful short story emblematic of London’s incredible ability to bring the beautiful brutality of the frozen Yukon to life. If you loved Leonardo DiCaprio in ‘The Revenant’ you’ll love this inspired piece on the untamed Yukon.Jack London (1876–1916) was a pioneer, novelist, journalist and social activist. London was one of the first American authors to become an international celebrity thanks to his pioneering work in commercial fiction and magazines. Additionally he is accredited as a major innovator in the genre we now know as science fiction. Growing up in a working class background and spending several years homeless, he was a passionate fighter for workers’ rights, socialism, unionisation and animal rights. He would go on to be one of the highest paid authors in America thanks to his classics such as ‘Call of the Wild’, ‘White fang’ and ‘Sea Wolf’.

'The Marry Month of May' was originally published in 1910. The narrative focuses on a rich, elderly widower called Mr. Coulson. Come May, he becomes enamoured with his widowed housekeeper Mrs. Widdup, but Mr. Coulson’s daughter is not at all pleased with the budding romance and plots to bring it to an abrupt halt. Will her plans to break up the spring romance work?This elaborate and witty short story muses on the themes of love, class and the impact of the environment on one's emotions.American short story master O. Henry is best known for his pithy, witty scores and surprise endings. In doing so he made commonplace experiences extraordinary and memorable. His work has been immortalised in the popular 1952 film 'O. Henry's Full House' starring Fred Allen, Anne Baxter, Marilyn Monroe and Jeanne Crain.William Sidney Porter (1862-1919), known simply as O. Henry, was a prolific American author of humorous literary pieces. His fame came exceptionally quickly and he became a bestselling author of short story collections. Perhaps the most famous of these are, 'Cabbages and Kings,' 'The Voice of the City' and 'Strictly Business.' The immensity of O. Henry's impact on the American short story genre for time to come is evidenced by the fact an annual award in his name is given out each year in the United States. O. Henry's work is a must read for fans of Hemingway, Guy de Maupassant and Anton Chekhov.

‘Memoirs of a Madman’ is a fascinating short following Poprishchin, a minor civil servant, as he descends into insanity. Unique in Golgol’s collection, it is the only story he wrote completely from the first person in the form of a number of diary entries. Constantly ridiculed by friends and repressed by the government of Tsarist Russia, he confides all in his journal documenting his slow decline in to insanity. As the only account we have is Poprishchin’s, we have no idea if the continually fantastical events happening before us are real or simply figments of his imagination. It is a fascinating novel, equally humourous as it is farcical, from talking dogs to tea-thirsty cows if you liked Leonardo Dicaprio’s ‘Shutter island’ you’ll love this short.Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol was one of the first writers to adopt surrealism and the grotesque in his work. As well as being one of Russia’s most acclaimed authors, he is acknowledged as one of the founders of the short story genre alongside Nathaniel Hawthorne and E.T.A Hoffman. His early writing was largely inspired by his time spent growing up in Ukraine, it’s culture and it’s folklore, while his later writing targeted and satirised the political corruption of the Russian Empire. His unique and strange form of writing similar to the ‘ostranenie’ technique, allowed his audience to see familiar topics and stories from a completely new perspective. Acknowledged for his brilliance by many acclaimed authors such as Fedor Dostoevsky his best works include ‘Dead Souls’, ‘Taras Bulba’ and ‘Evenings on a Farm Near Dikanka’.