Featured Stories

The Grand Inquisitor

The Grand Inquisitor: Novelette by Fydor DostoevskyThis story is a chapter from Fyodor Dostoevsky’s acclaimed novel, The Brothers Karamazov. Jesus makes a quick visit to Seville amid the suffering of the Spanish Inquisition. When he starts preforming miracles the Grand Inquisitor, a Cardinal, has him arrested. He visits Jesus in his cell and declares that he is no longer welcome on Earth because his message (spiritual freedom and the right to choose good or evil) is at odds with the teachings of the Church (forced belief through miracle, mystery, and authority). Themes include God and religion, free will vs. Catholic authoritarianism, suffering and human weakness.

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Night Talkers

Night Talkers: Short story by Edwidge DanticatIn this story by Edwidge Danticat, a Haitian man living in New York returns to visit the aunt who raised him after his parents were murdered during the “Papa Doc” dictatorship. He believes he may have found their killer in America and wants to learn more about them before deciding to what to do. Sadly, his aunt dies before they can discuss it. At her wake, the story of a fellow “night talker” exemplifies how forgiveness may be a better path than revenge. Themes include violence and loss, memory, family, community, tradition, communication, dreams, guilt, forgiveness vs. vengeance.

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The Nail

The Nail: Short story by Pedro Antonio de AlarcónThis story by Pedro Antonio de Alarcón involves an extraordinary set of coincidences. A man is rejected after declaring his love for Mercedes, a beautiful South American widow he meets on a stagecoach. His friend is heartbroken when his fiancé Blanca disappears. The friend, a magistrate, occupies himself in pursuit of Gabriela, a woman sentenced to death for killing her husband by driving a nail through the top of his head. Both men are devastated when the woman they love and know by different names proves to be Gabriela. Themes include domestic violence, unrequited love, coincidence, deceit.

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The Boy in the Tunnel / The Boy on the Tünel

The Boy in the Tunnel / The Boy on the Tünel: Short story by Sait Faik AbasıyanıkThis story by Sait Faik Abasıyanık describes a man’s thoughts as he watches an unkempt boy make his first trip on the Tünel (Istanbul’s Beyoğlu – Karaköy funicular railway). The boy, who is clearly from a poor family, tries hard to supress his feelings of excitement and wonder. His joy turns to discomfort when he senses the man and other passengers taking notice of his faint smile. Themes include 1) how things some of us take for granted can create magic moments for others; and 2) how, as we age, society conditions us to hide our feelings in public.

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Dry September

Dry September: Short story by William FaulknerWilliam Faulkner’s Dry September deals with events leading up to and shortly after the vigilante murder of a presumably innocent man. Set in a racially prejudiced community in America’s South, a misplaced or malicious complaint from a middle-aged spinster incites hatred against a local negro. Only one man (the town barber) stands up for him. A decorated ex-soldier leads a mob to avenge the woman’s honor. After the killing, the reliability of the woman’s story is called into question, as is the mental condition of the soldier who is shown to be violent by nature and possibly suffering from PTSD.

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Slowly, Slowly in the Wind

Slowly, Slowly in the Wind: Short story by Patricia HighsmithIn this story by Patricia Highsmith, doctors warn “Skip” Skipperton, a notoriously bad-tempered business executive, to slow down or risk early death. His answer is to buy Coldstream Heights, a small but comfortable farm. Skip’s only problem is that the titular “stream” is a few meters inside a neighbor’s property, which the owner won’t sell or lease at any price. Not used to being refused, Skip is enraged. When his beloved daughter elopes with the neighbor’s son, he kills the old man. Unfortunately for Skip, the murder is exposed by a children’s Halloween prank. Themes: anger, narcissism, pride, revenge, justice.

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When Anklets Tinkle

When Anklets Tinkle: Novelette by Anjana AppachanaIn this story by Anjana Appachana, life changes for a retired, middle-class Indian couple after renting the barsati [rooftop rooms] of their Delhi home to a likeable “Madrasi man” who plays a cruel trick on them. The detached, opinionated husband and his hard-working, under-appreciated wife struggle to deal with a noisy ghost, their visiting, unmarried daughter who defies tradition and asserts her independence and sexuality, and the idiosyncrasies of their long-time servant and his astute, seemingly ever-pregnant wife. Themes include family, ethnic identity, racism, social class, gender roles, tradition, double standards, sexuality, and superstition.

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The Devil and Daniel Webster

The Devil and Daniel Webster: Short story by Stephen BenétIn this American tall tale by Stephen Benét a hapless farmer sells his soul to the devil in exchange for seven years of good luck. When the time comes to “pay up”, he asks Daniel Webster, famed lawyer, orator and all around good guy, to help him get out of the deal. After attempts at compromise fail, Webster insists on a trial according to American law. Although the devil whips up a stacked judge and jury comprised of dead scoundrels, Daniel’s speech about American values wins the day.. Themes include patriotism, temptation, good vs. evil, “neighborliness” (helping others), and righteousness.

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