Short stories have always been a sort of instant access into an author’s brain, their soul and heart. They can lift our lives into locations, people and experiences with a sweep of landscape, narration, feelings and emotions that are difficult to achieve elsewhere.

In this series we try to offer up tried and trusted ‘Top Tens’ across many different themes and authors. But any anthology will immediately throw up the questions – Why that story? Why that author?

The theme itself will form the boundaries for our stories which range from well-known classics, newly told, to stories that modern times have overlooked but perfectly exemplify the theme. Throughout the volume our authors whether of instant recognition or new to you are all leviathans of literature.

Some you may disagree with but they will get you thinking; about our choices and about those you would have made. If this volume takes you on a path to discover more of these miniature masterpieces then we have all gained something.

Americans have vivid, colourful and mesmerising imaginations. On the flip side they are equally adept at Realism. In this volume their famed authors explore short stories that bring us up close and personal to reality.

1 - The Top 10 Short Stories - American Realism - An Introduction

2 - The Yellow Wall Paper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

3 - To Build a Fire by Jack London

4 - The Furnished Room by O Henry

5 - The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky by Stephen Crane

6 - The Storm by Kate Chopin

7 - An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce

8 - The Luck of Roaring Camp by Bret Harte

9 - A New England Nun by Mary E Wilkins Freeman

10 - Hands by Sherwood Anderson

11 - A White Heron by Sarah Orne Jewett