Modern Short Stories

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, unique tales inspired by traditional literary forms appeared frequently in socialist-leaning British periodicals, such as the Clarion, Labour Leader, and Social Democrat. Based on familiar genres, these stories were meant to entertain readers of all ages - and some challenged the conventional values promoted in children’s literature for the middle class. Acclaimed critic and author Michael Rosen brings together more than 40 of the best and most enduring examples of these stories in one beautiful volume.

Rosalinda and her new friends strolled through the 1830s-era 200-acre expanse which was Old Sturbride Village in Sturbridge, Massachusetts. Normally this was an oasis of calm. But because this was the last Free Friday of the summer, it seemed that every child in the region had descended to explore and enjoy. When the group decides to hide out in the farm area, where things might be quieter, they discover a mystery instead!

In this captivating collection of stories by the author of Ballet Shoes, there are auditions on stage and antics on ice, trips to the pantomime, holiday adventures and laughter shared with family and friends. Charming, heartwarming and funny, this collection will bring joy to listeners of all ages. Originally written in the 1940s-'60s for annuals, magazines and the radio, these stories have never been collected before.

Get your mystery fiction fix with this collection of short stories featuring retired federal agent Chris Matheson; sleuths Mac Faraday, Joshua Thornton, and Cameron Gates; and a rambunctious crime-solving dog named Gnarly. 

Best-selling urban fantasy and paranormal suspense author M. D. Massey invites listeners back to the world of the Junkyard Druid for his second short story collection! This 35,000-word volume features even more characters from the Colin McCool series, starring in three separate novelette-length stories: "Old Ghosts", "The Goblin King", and "Going Under".

Private investigator Jim Knighthorse returns in "Easy Rider", a standalone short story where he discovers a female burglar sleeping in his office. Camry is a woman who knows too much. Down on her luck, she asks for Knighthorse's protection from her biker ex-boyfriend, Steel Eye, whom she says has murdered someone. She's a witness on the run and she also has problems of her own making. She wants to leave the biker gang, but no one ever leaves this one alive.

Few characters have the loyal readership of Bill Pronzini's "Nameless Detective." The 14 stories in this collection span his entire 35-year life on the printed page. They include "It's a Lousy World," where Nameless proves that a friend did not commit the crime he was accused of; "Dead Man's Slough" and "The Ghosts of Ragged-Ass Gulch," which take him out of San Francisco into the hinterlands; and "Souls Burning," where he tries to help an old friend make one last try at setting things right.

This is a story from the Canterbury Tales I: Modern Verse Translation collection. Chaucer's greatest work, written towards the end of the fourteenth century, paints a brilliant picture of medieval life, society and values. The stories range from the romantic, courtly idealism of "The Knight's Tale" to the joyous bawdy of the Miller's; all are told with a freshness and vigor in this modern verse translation that make them a delight to hear.

Let yourself be swept away by these classic tales of hope and courage!!

- Classic tales (short stories and poems) of hope and courage from the 19th and 20th centuries

Annotated for modern listeners

The third entry in the Classic Tales series, joining "Classic Tales of Horror" and "Classic Tales of Christmas"

For adventure fans of all ages, these stories are guaranteed to intrigue, delight, and sometimes take you by surprise!

Students, travelers, and professionals can deepen their understanding of the Spanish language by listening to the Spanish short stories and getting involved in the learning process. The amusing and culturally interesting Spanish short stories will help you to grow your vocabulary and improve your comprehension of the language. The short stories are divided into easy-to-follow chapters with learning instructions in English and each story is followed by English summaries.

Each of the best-selling writers represented in these selections from Legends II returns to the fantasy universe he or she made famous throughout the world. Whether set before or after events already recounted elsewhere, whether featuring beloved characters or compelling new creations, these masterful short novels are both mesmerizing standalones - perfect introductions to the work of their authors - and indispensable additions to the epics on which they are based.

Today we have ghosts that haunted our ancestors, as well as our own modern revenants, and there appears to be no earthly use trying to banish or exorcise them by such a simple strategy as refusing to believe in them. Since man knows that whether or not he has seen a ghost, presently he will become one, and thus he has become fascinated with the subject. Therefore he creates ghosts, not merely in his own image, but according to his dreams of power.

Mimei Ogawa, a prolific author of short stories nearly 100 years ago, is considered to be one of the founding figures of modern Japanese children’s literature. He has also been called the Hans Christian Andersen of Japan because of how his works were influenced by Andersen. This collection contains a fresh, modern translation of one of Mimei Ogawa’s most famous works, "The Mermaid and the Red Candles", as well as several other stories that have never been translated and published in English before. 

A sequel to Being Here, this audiobook illustrates how life can be easy and will support you if you let it. Your day-to-day experience of living can literally transform so that accomplishments come naturally, and things you have strived to change dissolve all on their own. From Brooklyn and Kansas City to Zurich and Hong Kong, join storytellers from around the world and spark instantaneous transformation in your own life.

Dark Matter is an anthology of estranged tales that were written for the fans of all things weird and bizarre. Some of the stories are recounted rumors of a forgotten past, while others are fortunes told of a distant and horrific future. All of the legends within this collection share a single common element: madness.

Inspired by classic books like The Little Prince, these delightful fables follow a variety of charming animal characters as they embark on fantastical yet profoundly relatable quests.

Una moglie ama il marito, lo ama così tanto che ogni giorno si porta il suo membro al lavoro, nel cestino del pranzo accanto ai panini e ai biscotti. Un uomo che non mangia arance incomincia a manifestare una profonda e inquietante ossessione per questi frutti e la loro decomposizione. Una donna una mattina si sveglia e scopre che la sua caviglia destra è blu, poi anche l’altra caviglia, poi le gambe.

Ce sont trois contes écrits par Valérie Bonenfant, lus par Fabienne Prost. Le conte J’habite une flaque d’eau est illustré de façon sonore par Julien Jammes, designer sonore. La mer a des boutons : Alerte ! La mer est malade, elle est pleine de boutons blancs sur son eau de surface, mais que lui arrive t-il ? Elle n’est pas bien du tout. Peut-on la sauver ? L’oiseau et le sac : Un conte, où parfois le vent fait voler de drôles d’oiseaux. Vous n’en avez jamais vus ? Mais, si, ils sont colorés, transparents et pas toujours propres.

What links a café in Antarctica, a factory for producing electronic tracking tags, and personal spacecraft? They're among the multiple venues where award-winning writer Tania Hershman sets her unique tales in this spellbinding debut collection. This audiobook, adbridged from the original collection, is read by the author, Tania Hershman. 

A collection of short stories from such favorites as Wilkie Collins, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Rudyard Kipling are joined by others written anonymously in this anthology which will have you scratching your head and listening just a bit longer to discover the key to the mysteries.