A perfect alternative to massive fiction anthologies, this brief, affordable collection of 44 short stories from the past three centuries provides a concise yet comprehensive introduction to the study of fiction.  Chronologically organized, the anthology includes classic tales from 19th century authors like Hawthorne, Poe, Jewett, and de Maupassant; 20th century gems by Hawthorne, Irving, Poe, Cather, Hurston, Faulkner, O'Connor, and Richard Wright, among others; and admired stories from contemporary authors like Alice Walker, Jamaica Kincaid, Sherman Alexie, and Jhumpa Lahiri-reflecting a diverse range of writers and styles.