https://xpressenglish.com featuring the world's best short stories Mon, 06 Jan 2025 11:28:41 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://xpressenglish.com/wp-content/uploads/cropped-bookworm-32x32.jpg https://xpressenglish.com 32 32 https://xpressenglish.com/two-kinds/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=two-kinds Tue, 14 Jun 2022 23:02:12 +0000 https://xpressenglish.com/?p=41088 Young Adult Story by Amy Tan. A mother with a vision of her daughter becoming a piano prodigy introduces a demanding practice schedule. When the girl refuses to continue practicing after a disastrous recital, the mother demands obedience. The girl responds with the cruelest possible words.

The post Two Kinds first appeared on shortsonline.]]> https://xpressenglish.com/rules-of-the-game/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rules-of-the-game Fri, 15 Apr 2016 00:45:03 +0000 https://xpressenglish.com/?p=38319 Young Adult Story by Amy Tan. The title refers to both the game of chess and the game of life. A mother’s term for one important rule is the art of invisible strength (self-control). When her eight-year-old daughter teaches herself chess and becomes a national champion, both break this rule.

The post Rules of the Game first appeared on shortsonline.]]> https://xpressenglish.com/fish-cheeks/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=fish-cheeks Sun, 22 Aug 2010 04:11:47 +0000 https://xpressenglish.com/?p=40097 Grade 5-6 Story by Amy Tan. A fourteen–year-old girl, is uncomfortable with her Chinese looks and what others might think of her family’s Chinese ways. She is especially concerned because her would-be boyfriend Robert and his church minister father have been invited for Christmas dinner.

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