Showing results by publisher "Simply Media" in Classics

"A Christmas Dinner" is a perfect demonstration of Dickens' attitude towards the redemptive power of Christmas and the Christmas spirit. This is a lovely short story well worth listening to alongside his more famous writings about the holidays.

Sherwood Anderson was cited by Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Cather, and others as a major influence in the writing of short stories. "Winesburg, Ohio" is a landmark work many of us encounter as students. Anderson, in many ways, is best experinced in audio. He believed stories were meant to be told, as they are in the stories themselves. These nine are his best: "Brothers", "The Door of the Trap", "The Dumb Man", "The Egg", "Motherhood", "The New Englander", "The Other Woman", "Seeds", and "War."

Three of Fitzgerald's early short stories: "Dalyrimple Goes Wrong", "Jemina, the Mountain Girl", and "Tarquin of Cheapside". Each story is fascinating in its own way, with roots that lead to his novels. His writing, even at this early stage in his career, is like champagne. "Dalyrimple" has some of the themes Dreiser later used in An American Tragedy; "Jemina" sounds like what would happen if Mark Twain met southwestern humor; "Tarquin" is unique and better listened to than discussed.

An Experiment in Luxury is the book end of all this as a young man visits his rich friend and his millionaire family. It is a conventional scene where the young man's friend, son of the household, encourages him to speak only conventionally to his mother or he will get on her bad side. We see her preoccupied with her worries and the husband/millionaire taking his mind off of it all by playing with a kitten.

One of Oscar Wilde's most charming stories, combining art, painting, wit, love, romance, and generosity. English wit, American vigor, and Irish sentimentality too - all part of Wilde's makeup. Hard to hear without tearing up a bit at the end.

"The Veteran" features Henry Fleming as a grandfather, many years after he appeared as the 18-year-old Yankee first-time soldier in The Red Badge of Courage. He retells the story succinctly and honestly about how he ran from his first battle as so many did. His grandchild is alarmed, as children are when they learn that adults are not perfect in what they do.

An Excursion to Canada is a remarkable work by Thoreau, very different from his other works. Here he becomes an American traveler who shows far greater respect for America than Canada, while explaining the details of the chasm between the Church (Black) and the soldiers (Red) in Quebec that Stendhal pointed out in The Red and the Black in France. Something like DeTocqueville's Democracy in America, but here Canada is the country under the microscope.

This is the third of the best Stephen Crane short stories, with "The Open Boat" and "The Blue Hotel" being the other two. The story starts in an interesting way as the older sheriff has gone to another town to marry a not so young and not so beautiful woman who he is obviously devoted to.

A classic Dickens Christmas story full of love, loss, regret, and reuniting. After a Christmas Eve feast, the narrator tells a story about Richard Doubledick, saved by an officer friend , who became his friend for life until his death at Waterloo. Richard later met the French officer who killed his friend and used forgiveness to get over it, which lead to them and their children becoming lifelong friends. This is a classic story about generations of salvation and friendship.

Another wonderful Dickens short story combining spectral images with Christmas. Wonderful turns of phrase and digressions throughout. To name but one, “faithful obstructions”, for servants - in other words, easier to do it yourself if not for pride of position. Playful, fun, and illuminating. One of his less listened-to stories; well worth it for anyone, but especially for fans.

A Dickens Christmas story about charity, hope, and forgiveness, with a touch of remembrance and loss. This very mature story looks back throughout one's life, promises made, aspirations filled and unfilled, love gained and lost, and many other such touching moments in everyone's life. An American voice was used per listener request.

"The Christmas Tree and the Wedding" is a bittersweet story written in 1848, the year of revolutions throughout Europe. The story has an undercurrent reflecting the tumultuous changes of that year. The narrator, attending a Christmas party with the Christmas tree referenced in the title, sees the Guest of Honor take an undue interest in a young girl, the daughter of his host....

"The Open Boat" is considered Stephen Crane's finest work and one of the great short stories of all time. The story begins with four men in an open boat, subject to the vagaries of the sea after their ship went down. The Captain, though injured, retains control over the boat and its occupants by force of habit and uncanny skills. In this trial, he proves his worth, putting his men first, guiding them at every step of the way.

A moving story about an observer sent to enemy lines in the Civil War, who moves too far forward and find himself caught in the vise of war. As in so many of his classic tales of the destructive nature of war, in "One of the Missing" Bierce paints an unflinching portrait of the damages solidiering can inflict upon a man - both physically and emotionally.

Belfador is the single novella remaining of Machiavelli’s works. It was considered one of the finest of the period. Machiavelli was considered a skilled storyteller by all who knew him for, after all, stories form the basis of his most famous work, The Prince, "Belfagor" is a compact version of lessons from The Prince.

A very short Dickens story relating our journey through life in 5 stages: being merry when very young, playing while a child, in love as a young adult, being busy in middle age with a family, and remembering in old age. Though sad throughout, Dickens has a flash of uplift at the end. A classic story for the Christmas season when one tends to do summing up during the holiday and the almost-new year. Another Dickens must-listen. Read by an American voice by listener request.

A legendary Oscar Wilde title that tells the whole story by its name. A fascinating woman or an enthralling a man is a Sphinx without a secret according to the story's narrator. The man involved is not so sure. A perfect rendering of a fascinating subject. (American accent narration.)

Here are five of Mark Twain's best short stories, including "The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" - classic humor from the author of Huck Finn, Tom Sawyer, and other great American novels.

A hilarious Dickens story, with his masterly story-within-a-story format, about a sideshow and the various characters who inhabit it - especially a dwarf who seeks to gain property and go into society. He gets the money by winning a lottery and does enter into society, with hilarious and sad results. A rollicking good time, "Going into Society" is reminiscent of O'Henry and Mark Twain, too. One of Dickens' best humorous stories. Read by an American voice, per listener request.

Ambrose Bierce's "One Kind of Officer" is a story of the heartache of orders given without discretion in the field. Like so many of his Civil War stories, it is a thoughtful look at the problems facing soldiers during wartime. An abuse of power leads to a needless death in this classic American tale.