Peach Blossom Spring by Tao Qian
Peach Blossom Spring by Tao Qian is a famous short story written in 421 about a fisherman who by chance discovers a place of peace and tranquility.
Short Stories
Free short stories by the all time great short story writers
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Youth by Isaac Asimov
Youth by Isaac Asimov is a science fiction novelette that first appeared in the May 1952 issue of Space Science Fiction and was reprinted in the 1955 collection The Martian Way and Other Stories.
The Verdict by Edith Wharton
When a successful painter gives up his passion to paint at the height of his popularity, an old friend of his decides to pay a visit and find out why. The Verdict by Edith Wharton was originally published in 1908.
The Heavenly Christmas Tree by Fyodor Dostoevsky
A poor boy freezing to death on Christmas Eve finds himself before Christ’s Christmas tree, among the spirits of other children who have died and gone to heaven. The Heavenly Christmas Tree by Fyodor Dostoevsky was first published in A Writer’s Diary, January 1876
The Blind Man by Kate Chopin
The Blind Man by Kate Chopin, written in 1894, is a powerful short story which captures the dangers of non-conformity.
The Ant and the Grasshopper by W. Somerset Maugham
The Ant and The Grasshopper by W. Somerset Maugham concerns two brothers, one of whom is a dissolute waster whose hard-working brother has constantly to bail out of difficulties. Originally published in 1924
A Hunger Artist by Franz Kafka
A Hunger Artist by Franz Kafka, published in 1922, was his last published work before he died. The tale is about a hunger artist in a circus who sits in a cage and fasts for weeks on end.
Eleonora by Edgar Allan Poe
Eleonora by Edgar Allan Poe was first published in 1842 in the literary annual The Gift. The narrator introduces us to his life in two parts: the first, when he lived in the Valley of the Many-Colored Grass and later, when he lived in the city.
The Chinese Lily by Sui Sin Far
The Chinese Lily by Sui Sin Far is the story of Mermei, who after an accident is crippled with terrible scars on her face. The Chinese Lily appeared in the Mrs Spring Fragrance collection of short stories by Sui Sin Far.
A Very Short Story by Ernest Hemingway
A Very Short Story by Ernest Hemingway is one of his earliest works. It originally appeared as one of 18 vignettes that made up In Our Time, published in 1924.