Short Books.

32. Cool Air by H. P. Lovecraft.   A man, newly arrived in New York, learns that a reclusive doctor lives in the apartment above his own. While suffering a heart attack, he is taken to the doctor’s door, and soon becomes friends with the bizarre and isolated man who claims he must live in a refrigerated environment for his health. But as the man spends more time with the doctor, he begins to under...

31. The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe.   The Tell-Tale Heart was first published in 1843 and is a short story by the American writer Edgar Allen Poe. It was then subsequently published as part of Poe’s Book – Tales of Mystery and Imagination.   The story is told by an unnamed narrator that tries to convince the reader that he is not mad but provoked and haunted by the ‘evil’ eye of the old ma...

30. The Unexpected by Jack London. (Part 2).   The Unexpected is true to its name, full of twists and turns. But these surprises don’t just come in the form of dramatic plot events, they also come in an unexpected change of tone. Because, while in the beginning, the story seems set to become a thriller, it instead becomes a literary piece on morality and willpower.   This is the best of Jack Londo...

29. The Unexpected by Jack London. (Part 1).   The Unexpected is true to its name, full of twists and turns. But these surprises don’t just come in the form of dramatic plot events, they also come in an unexpected change of tone. Because, while in the beginning, the story seems set to become a thriller, it instead becomes a literary piece on morality and willpower.   This is the best of Jack Londo...

28. The Outrage by Aleksandr I. Kuprin.   When the association of thieves are slandered with participating in murder, they come to defend their honour in court, much to the bafflement of the barristers.   The Outrage - like many short stories - focuses on style, setting and character. Leaving behind plot and story. Nearly all the piece is the speech of one man, yet it is as engaging as any adventu...

27. The Lady with the Dog by Anton Chekhov. (Chapter IV). A forty-year-old man named Dmitri Gurov is intrigued by a young woman walking along the sea front of Yalta with her small Pomeranian dog. Dmitri dislikes his shrewish and intelligent wife and, as a result, has numerous love affairs. Although the protagonist disparages women and calls them "the lower race," he secretly acknowledges that he i...

26. The Lady with the Dog by Anton Chekhov. (Chapter III). A forty-year-old man named Dmitri Gurov is intrigued by a young woman walking along the sea front of Yalta with her small Pomeranian dog. Dmitri dislikes his shrewish and intelligent wife and, as a result, has numerous love affairs. Although the protagonist disparages women and calls them "the lower race," he secretly acknowledges that he...

25. The Lady with the Dog by Anton Chekhov. (Chapter II). A forty-year-old man named Dmitri Gurov is intrigued by a young woman walking along the sea front of Yalta with her small Pomeranian dog. Dmitri dislikes his shrewish and intelligent wife and, as a result, has numerous love affairs. Although the protagonist disparages women and calls them "the lower race," he secretly acknowledges that he i...

24. The Lady with the Dog by Anton Chekhov. (Chapter I). A forty-year-old man named Dmitri Gurov is intrigued by a young woman walking along the sea front of Yalta with her small Pomeranian dog. Dmitri dislikes his shrewish and intelligent wife and, as a result, has numerous love affairs. Although the protagonist disparages women and calls them "the lower race," he secretly acknowledges that he is...

23. The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell. (Chapter II). The Most Dangerous Game" is a gripping tale of survival, suspense, and human nature. Richard Connell's classic short story follows Sanger Rainsford, a skilled hunter and outdoorsman, who finds himself stranded on a remote island after a shipwreck.   Rainsford soon discovers that the island is inhabited by the enigmatic and sinister Gene...

22. The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell. (Chapter I).   The Most Dangerous Game" is a gripping tale of survival, suspense, and human nature. Richard Connell's classic short story follows Sanger Rainsford, a skilled hunter and outdoorsman, who finds himself stranded on a remote island after a shipwreck.   Rainsford soon discovers that the island is inhabited by the enigmatic and sinister Gen...

21. The Coils of Chance by Richard Connell.   Richard Connell's The Coils of Chance isn't as famous as his masterpiece, "The Most Dangerous Game," but reviews of this short story highlight its gentle humor and focus on a shy, altruistic man, Gilbert Benner, who anonymously gives away Christmas turkeys, contrasting with Connell's usual suspense; it's seen as a warm, character-driven piece about una...

20. The Law’s an Ass by Richard Connell.   "The Law's an Ass" is a short story by Richard Connell, known for its ironic and satirical tone regarding the legal system. The story is not typically a full-length novel that receives extensive, formal literary reviews in major publications, but rather a short piece often discussed in the context of legal studies or general short story anthologies.   The...

19. Agafya by Anton Chekhov.   Savka, a lazy and strangely introspective man of great physical force and sexual charm, as well as some bizarre habits, is seen as a despicable outcast by the village's male community. Women, though, 'pity' Savka and visit him regularly by night, bringing food and receiving romantic 'hand-outs' which he delivers condescendingly, with contempt mixed with perplexing pi...

18. The Man Who Could Imitate a Bee by Richard Connell.   The Man Who Could Imitate a Bee follows the life of a man named Harvey, who would have been referred to as ‘precocious’, ‘sensitive’ and ‘a savant’ in the 20th century, but in modern times would probably be considered neurodivergent due to his struggles with reciprocity and socialising, his hyperfocus and his special interest.   While the s...

17. The Trial for Murder by Charles Dickens.   "The Trial for Murder" is a supernatural horror story in which the ghost of a murder victim appears repeatedly to the foreman of the jury, and harasses the jurors and witnesses throughout the court case to ensure that the suspected murderer is convicted.   Potential inspiration:   After reading Elizabeth Gaskell's "The Old Nurse’s Story", Dickens was...

16. A Scandal in Bohemia by Arthur Conan Doyle. (Chapter II and III).   "A Scandal in Bohemia" is the first short story, and the third overall work, featuring Arthur Conan Doyle's fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. It is the first of the 56 Holmes short stories written by Doyle and the first of 38 Sherlock Holmes works illustrated by Sidney Paget. The story is notable for introducing the charact...

15. A Scandal in Bohemia by Arthur Conan Doyle.   "A Scandal in Bohemia" is the first short story, and the third overall work, featuring Arthur Conan Doyle's fictional detective Sherlock Holmes. It is the first of the 56 Holmes short stories written by Doyle and the first of 38 Sherlock Holmes works illustrated by Sidney Paget. The story is notable for introducing the character of Irene Adler, who...

14. Morella by Edgar Allan Poe.   An unnamed narrator, deeply affected by his friend Morella, marries her despite not feeling romantic love, drawn instead by an indefinable, intense connection. Morella, a reclusive and profoundly erudite woman, immerses him in her mystical studies, particularly German metaphysical texts on identity, pantheism, and reincarnation. Over time, the narrator grows distu...

Infidelity: "Mine is a platonic marriage, she is silent, I seek sex elsewhere."    Paolo writes to us to ask for advice on his state of limerence in our column dedicated to stories of betrayal. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/short-books--6827663/support . AI-generated content.

Can you feel sad even at Christmas?   Christmas Blues. Christmas is often associated with joy, but for many people, it can become a time of loneliness and melancholy. Fortunately, there is a solution (and an explanation) to all this. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/short-books--6827663/support . AI-generated content.

Cleopatra, a new book about her story. But for the first time from the sovereign's point of view.   She believed she was a living goddess, but Cleopatra was decidedly human: a new biography tells it in detail. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/short-books--6827663/support . AI-generated content.

Is it worth staying in a love that hurts?   Finding the strength in yourselfSometimes, without realizing it, we cling to relationships that take more from us than they give us. Loves that, instead of joys, fill us with sadness and worries.  It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking that's normal, but the truth is that each of us deserves something much better. Become a supporter of this podcast:...

The fear of divorce.   Every marriage relationship begins with the illusion of living in love until the end of our days. But when separation or divorce threatens to come, what to do, how much to pray for it not to happen? And how do you move forward without it? Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/short-books--6827663/support . AI-generated content.

Those who hurt us do not love us.  We blind ourselves out of love, often being unable to see our partner's faults, justifying and forgiving them over and over again.   But those who hurt us do not love us. If a man truly loves you, he will not hurt you at all.   If it hurts you, don't cling to it, claim your right to happiness, to true love, and let it, because whoever hurts you doesn't know how t...