Whirligigs (1910) is a collection of short stories by American writer O. Henry. Inspired by his experiences as a fugitive and in prison, these stories address themes of poverty and provincial life with humor and abundant empathy. "The Ransom of Red Chief," the most notable of the collection's twenty-four stories, is considered one of Henry's finest works and has been adapted numerous times for television and film. "The Ransom of Red Chief" follows...

Chivalry (1909) is a fascinating collection of tales that draw inspiration from the popular chronicles of medieval Europe. Author James Branch Cabell immerses his reader into this distant world, masking his authorship in order to ensure a fluidity of form and content that injects his work of high fantasy with a sense of truth. Intentionally layered in mystery and claims of authenticity, Chivalry purports to be a copy made by royal scribe Colard Mansion...

"Charles thought he had it all - until a devastating betrayal and the shattering loss of his family drove him to living on the streets. Beatrice is the first person who's truly cared about him. And little by little, he's finding reasons to care about rebuilding his life - and risking a sudden, courageous choice. Drawn to Charles and the temptation of a second chance, Beatrice is faced with the hardest of decisions. But his insight, secrets, and the...

Arthur Conan Doyle's His Last Bow: Some Reminiscences of Sherlock Holmes(1917) is an outstanding collection of some of the later stories and most dramatic exploits of Detective Holmes and Dr. Watson. These stories were composed between 1908 and 1917, with the exception of the infamous tale "The Cardboard Box", which was written in 1893. Six of these adventures were initially published The Strand magazine, and the final titular story was published...

This early work by Henry James was originally published in 1884 and we are now republishing it with a brand new introductory biography. Henry James was born in New York City in 1843. One of thirteen children, James had an unorthodox early education, switching between schools, private tutors and private reading.. James published his first story, 'A Tragedy of Error', in the Continental Monthly in 1864, when he was twenty years old. In 1876, he emigrated...

This edition includes a modern introduction and a list of suggested further reading. The Emperor Napoleon fondly said of Etienne Gerard "that if he has the thickest head he has also the stoutest heart in my army." This description accurately captures the self-described hero of eighteen gem-like short stories produced by Arthur Conan Doyle. Brigadier Gerard, a bombastic, heroic gascon hussar, doer of many improbable deeds, was an unimaginative man...

Over a half century, a small Indiana town hosts a circus troupe during the off-seasons in linked stories "as graceful as any acrobat's high-wire act" (San Francisco Chronicle).
A Story Prize Finalist
From 1884 to 1939, the Great Porter Circus made the unlikely choice to winter in an Indiana town called Lima, a place that feels as classic as Sherwood Anderson's Winesburg, Ohio, and as wondrous as a first trip to the Big...

The Monster and Other Stories (1899) is a collection of short fiction by American writer Stephen Crane. "The Monster," a novella, was originally published in 1898 in Harper's Magazine and has since been recognized as one of Crane's most important works, a story which critiques the racism prevalent in American society. In 1899, it was published alongside "The Blue Hotel" and "His New Mittens" in The Monster and Other Stories, which was the last work...

Though the American South played an important role in contributing to the country's culture, it wasn't until the mid-nineteenth century that a distinctly Southern literary voice began to emerge. Kentucky-based author James Lane Allen's gift for description and unforgettable characters helped him rise to prominence among the "local color" literary movement in the South, and his prodigious talents are on full display in the novella A Kentucky Cardinal....

Following the events of The Scarlet Pimpernel, the mysterious figure continues his efforts to elude captors, while saving French aristocrats from meeting a brutal fate. It's a collection of memorable stories featuring various characters and hidden obstacles along the way. The Reign of Terror during the French Revolution continues to cripple the country's aristocracy. The Scarlet Pimpernel has managed to maintain his secret identity, while saving...