The Top Ten - British 20th Century

Short stories have always been a sort of instant access into an author's brain, their soul and heart. A few pages can lift our lives into locations, people and experiences with a sweep of landscape, narration, feelings and emotions that is difficult to achieve elsewhere.In this series we try to offer up tried and trusted 'Top Tens' across many different themes and authors. But any anthology will immediately throw up the questions - Why that story? Why that author? The theme itself will form the boundaries for our stories which range from well-known classics, newly told, to stories that modern times have overlooked but perfectly exemplify the theme. Throughout the volume our authors whether of instant recognition or new to you are all leviathans of literature.Some you may disagree with but they will get you thinking; about our choices and about those you would have made. If this volume takes you on a path to discover more of these miniature masterpieces then we have all gained something.The British and their Empire reach their zenith before a humbling fall that leaves problems and unfinished passions in their wake. She retreats to her island abode believing that once again her moment will come. Her authors both echo and oppose this view as they explore new forms, new paths and new ways to drive the literary journey forward.1 - The Top 10 - The British 20th Century - An Introduction2 - The Matador of the Five Towns by Arnold Bennett3 - A Somewhat Improbable Story by G K Chesterton4 - The Informer by Joseph Conrad5 - The Salvation of a Forsythe by John Galsworthy6 - August Heat by W F Harvey7 - The Monkey's Paw by W W Jacobs8 - Casting the Runes by M R James9 - The Rocking Horse Winner by D H Lawrence10 - The Interlopers by Saki the pseudonym for H H Munro11 - Kew Gardens by Virginia Woolf