The author is not what you would call a bookworm. However,
he grew tired of reading the 10 reasons why this and 10 reasons why that things
that he sometimes writes himself. The author then took to wondering what people
read before these top 10 lists took over the internet and the internet took
over the world. He decided to ask the internet and the internet pointed him to
some good old short stories. The author decided
to point you, dear readers to the 9 short stories that he found to be
most entertaining.
1. The Ransom Of Red Chief by O.Henry
William Sydney Porter, known better by his pen name O.Henry
is a true master of storytelling. His stories are light hearted funny ones and
are known to have a "sting in the tail". The one being discussed here
involves a kidnapping and it is not the kidnapped person who suffers! Funny
things keep happening throughout the story you'll have a lot of rofl and lol
moments. Dunno if O.Henry would appreciate modern society's way of
complimenting funny things.
Read it here.
2. The Fall Of The House Of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe
Don't read this one at night under a torchlight like the
author of this blog did. It is established that Edgar Allen Poe suffered from
depression and his stories can be described by the word weird. Well, weird but
exceptional at the same time. It contains a lot of unconventional themes like
incest, reanimation of the dead and likewise. The story ends in a climax and
that is one climax to read! It is sure to give you some scares.
Read it here.
3. The Prize Poem by P.G.Wodehouse
The plot of this short story is as simple as three different
students copying the same poem to submit for their school's poetry competition
which is mandatory for all the students. P.G Wodehouse wittily brings out the
lazy and lackluster attitude of students towards something that they are made
to do and do not want to do. The principal takes the incident as a challenge to
his authority. How the events unfold thereafter makes for an interesting read.
Read it here.
4. The Eyes Have It by Ruskin Bond
This story is written in the form of a first person
narrative. For a brief period of time, Mr. Bond suffered from blindness. As he
travels alone by train, a girl whom he senses to be beautiful comes to sit
across him. He doesn't want the girl to know that he is blind and starts a
conversation. This conversation and the revelation that follows makes this
story an awesome read.
Read it here.
5. Dusk by H.H.Munro
Norman Gortsby is sitting on
a park bench. The other end of the bench is occupied by an old man who
is wearing a carnation. Norman Gortsby begins to contemplate about the time of
the day i.e. Dusk. He considers it to be the time of those who have been
defeated by life and he considers the old man to be one of them. Soon, the old
man goes away and his place is taken by another person who says that he is new
to the city and has lost his way as he came out of his hotel to buy a cake of soap. He asks Gortsby for
help and what follows after is an awesome second part of the story.
Read it here.
6. The Cop And The Anthem by O.Henry
Its O.Henry again! No I am not biased, he is actually that
good. This story is about a homeless man in New York named Soapy. It is the
winter season and terribly cold for a homeless person to survive. So much so
that Soapy decides to spend his winter in a prison. The prison, with its warm
blankets and guaranteed meals is definitely more hospitable for a homeless guy
than the cold streets of New York. Soapy tries to get himself arrested and
fails ludicrously many times. He then
comes to the street where he lived as a child. Those memories fill him with
inspiration and he decides to turn his life around. What follows after this, no
one can expect!
Read it here.
7. At Home by Anton Chekhov
A treat from Russia, this one is about a father trying to
convince his infant son not to smoke! Eugene Bikovsy is a lawyer whose 7 year old
son Seriozha is placed under the care of a
governess as Eugene's wife is no more. The conversation between the father and
the son makes for an awesome read.
Read it here.
8. The Cabuliwallah by Rabindranath Tagore
Asia's first Nobel winner writes about his five year old
daughter, Mini's friendship with a dry
fruits peddler. The friendship ends abruptly after the Kabuliwala is convicted
of a crime and sent to prison. He is released years after and comes to meet
Mini on the day of her wedding. A good read, this one.
Read it here.
9. The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant
Mathilde is born relatively poor, but dreams of an
aristocratic life. She eventually marries a low paid clerk who tries his best
to keep her happy. After a lot of begging, he somehow manages to get two
tickets to a ministry of education party. Mathilde loses something that she has
borrowed for the party. She tries to compensate and the story takes a different
course.
Read it here.
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