Featured Stories

The Butler

The Butler: Short story by Roald DahlThis story by Roald Dahl is about a newly rich man who tries to buy his way up the social ladder. He employs an expensive butler and French chef and hosts many lavish dinner parties. To impress his guests, he buys some of the world’s best wines and learns a lot about them. What he doesn’t learn about are the things that should and shouldn’t be served with fine wine and how to enjoy it. The butler takes advantage of this, and in so doing puts an end to the rich man’s high society hopes.

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You’re Ugly, Too

You're Ugly, Too: Short story by Lorrie MooreLorrie Moore’s protagonist Zoë is a small-town college professor. She is a free-spirited, “almost pretty”, emotionally troubled woman whose efforts to forge relationships without being a “Heidi” have achieved the opposite. Her witty, cynical one-liners have alienated colleagues, students and suitors alike. Central themes are loneliness, the expectations of men, and the role of sex in relationships. An offensive, misogynistic “big city” blind date confirms her misgivings about marriage; a medical scare and consequent thoughts of death bring into focus what she sees as the futility of her life. Other themes: isolation, alienation, appearance, gender roles, mortality, nihilism.

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The Horla

The Horla: Novelette by Guy de MaupassantThis story by Guy de Maupassant describes a man’s slow descent into madness, convinced that an invisible being he unknowingly lured from a passing ship is preying on his mind. As the entity (supposedly an otherworldly species of vampire that feeds on the life force of those it attaches to) gets stronger, he begins to lose his free will. Unable to flee, he traps it in his bedroom and burns his house to the ground. When this doesn’t work, he contemplates an even more extreme solution. Themes include reality vs. illusion, the unknown/supernatural, terror, madness, despair.

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Come Rain or Come Shine

Come Rain or Come Shine: Short story by Kazuo IshiguroThis story by Kazuo Ishiguro is a farcical satire of a man trying to save his stagnating marriage. He manipulates a mutual friend living overseas into providing company for his wife while he is away on business. The friend has achieved little in life and the husband hopes that the contrast will make his wife appreciate him more. A hilarious sequence of events unfolds as the friend tries to cover up damage he caused to the wife’s appointment book after reading unflattering entries about himself. Themes include friendship, alienation in marriage, manipulation, sacrifice, disappointment, the power of music, memories, regrets.

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A Father-To-Be

A Father-To-Be: Short story by Saul BellowIn this playful story by Saul Bellow, a successful scientist in an illuminated state of mind makes his way to have dinner with his fiancée. As he contemplates fellow passengers on the subway, he is shocked to notice the resemblance between his future wife and the “flat-looking dandy of respectability” sitting next to him. He begins to wonder what her children will look like, and is so disturbed by the thought he decides to end the relationship. Fortunately, her soothing hands erase the memory. Themes include “duty”, financial stress, pride, self-discovery, appearance, heredity, self-delusion, submissiveness.

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The Doctor’s Word

The Doctor's Word: Short story by R. K. NarayanIn this story by R. K. Narayan, a doctor renowned for telling patients the truth, even if the news is bad, faces a dilemma. A seriously ill close friend asks for a prognosis, saying that if he is dying he must finalize his will to protect his wife and children. The doctor doesn’t think he will survive the night, and is concerned that the shock of hearing this will kill him. He must choose between telling the truth, or lying to give is friend hope and a small chance of survival. Themes include truthfulness, friendship, faith, hope, choices and consequences.

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The Zulu and the Zeide

The Zulu and the Zeide: Short story by Dan JacobsonIn this touching story by Dan Jacobson, a South African businessman is resentful towards his senile Jewish father for the embarrassment he causes and his many failings in life. As a cruel joke, he employs a “raw” Zulu from the countryside to keep his father out of trouble. Despite the language barriers, the Zulu does such a good job that a camaraderie develops between them and the old man begins to depend upon him. The infuriated son responds by humiliating the Zulu. Themes include aging and dependency, family, duty, humanity and compassion, jealousy, social class, racism, guilt.

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A Sound of Thunder

A Sound of Thunder: Short story by Ray BradburyWhat is the most dangerous thing about time travel? According to this story by Ray Bradbury, it is doing some small thing that may change the future. Five men travel back in time to hunt a T-Rex. One of them panics when he sees the monster and steps off a specially prepared path. Because of this, they return to a very different world. The last thing the clumsy hunter hears is a sound of thunder. Themes include arrogance, cowardice, the dangers of technology, connections between past and present, democracy vs. dictatorship, the ethics of game hunting.

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