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The Book of the Short Story
Paperback
Literary CriticismFiction Anthologies
ISBN13: 9781025316246
Publisher: Tradd Street Press
Published: Feb 14 2026
Pages: 520
Weight: 1.59
Height: 1.05 Width: 6.14 Depth: 9.21
Language: English
The Book of the Short Story is a definitive anthology and critical study that traces the evolution of the short story from its ancient origins to the early twentieth century. Edited by Alexander Jessup and Henry Seidel Canby, this collection serves as both a scholarly survey and a curated treasury of some of the finest examples of the form across different cultures and eras.
The work begins with an insightful introduction that analyzes the development of the short story as a distinct literary genre, examining the structural and thematic shifts that have defined it over time. Following this critical overview, the volume presents a diverse selection of stories, ranging from Egyptian tales and Biblical narratives to the masterpieces of the nineteenth century. Readers will find seminal works by renowned authors such as Washington Irving, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Edgar Allan Poe, Guy de Maupassant, and Robert Louis Stevenson, among others.
Designed for students, educators, and lovers of classic literature, The Book of the Short Story offers a profound look at how brief narratives have captured the human experience. Its blend of historical context and exemplary fiction makes it an essential resource for understanding the foundations and the brilliance of short-form storytelling.
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.
This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
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