21 Essential American Short Stories

Edited by Leslie M. Pockell

Thomas Dunne Books

Download Image Edited by Leslie M. Pockell 21 Essential American Short Stories
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A vibrant journey through the annals of classic American short stories

21 Essential American Short Stories is a collection of beloved stories that have comprised an important part of the fabric of our culture, from the earliest days of our nation to the twentieth century. Some of the stories, such as Washington Irving’s “Rip Van Winkle,” O. Henry’s “The Gift of the Magi,” William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily,” Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper,” and James Thurber’s “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty,” have been long regarded as literary classics, while others, such as Frank Stockton’s “The Lady or the Tiger?” and Ellis Parker Butler’s “Pigs Is Pigs,” are lesser known but well worth discovering.

The carefully selected stories, each preceded by an illuminating headnote, powerfully illustrate the varied richness of our national literature and history. This beautifully packaged volume, containing the unforgettable classic short stories that evoke our shared American tradition and national identity, makes the perfect gift for the short story aficionado and novice alike.

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Reviews

Praise for 21 Essential American Short Stories

"If charged with selecting 21 short stories from the copious canon of American short fiction, anyone would cower. Fortunately, Pockell accepted the charge and has provided a thoughtful collection. The collection is arranged chronologically and peppers humor (Ellis Parker Butler’s “Pigs Is Pigs,” Ernest Hemingway’s “The Killers,” and James Thurber’s “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”) with sorrow (Herman Melville’s "Bartlelby the Scrivener,” Ambrose Bierce’s “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge,” and Stephen Crane’s “The Blue Hotel”). Twain, Gilman, and Fitzgerald provide further shape. Pockell made shrewd decisions and compiled a collection worthy of its place on the shelf."
 
--Booklist

Praise for 100 Essential American Poems:

“A work that serves as reference, comfort, and a reminder of poetry’s significance in the everyday experience of American life, this is a volume worthy of any shelf.”

--Publishers Weekly (starred review)

 “One of the most appealing [collections] in a long time is 100 Essential American Poems, which is a refreshing way to learn, or reconnect, with some of the most notable verses in American literature.”

 --The Courier-Journal

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About the Author

Edited by Leslie M. Pockell

Leslie M. Pockell was an associate publisher at a major publishing house in New York. He compiled several highly acclaimed poetry collections, including the bestselling The 100 Best Poems of All Time.

Leslie M. Pockell

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Available Formats and Book Details

21 Essential American Short Stories
Edited by Leslie M. Pockell

Hardcover

Hardcover
St. Martin's Press
Thomas Dunne Books
February 2011
Hardcover
ISBN: 9780312648039
ISBN10: 0312648030
6 1/8 x 9 1/4 inches, 320 pages
$25.99
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