LitReading - Classic Short Stories

There is something special about the Old West. Life is the western United States for much of the 19th century was akin to living in another country, which makes sense as it was cobbled together from many diverse societies. Our next story takes place in the Great Southwest and involves a potential love triangle gone very wrong.During his short life, Frank Norris had an outsized impact on American Literature. A painter turned author, Norris travelled globally as a news correspondent writing several short stories and novels. His finest work, The Octopus was intended as the first book of a trilogy on which he was working when he died during appendicitis surgery at the age of 34. Love hearing these classic tales?Get access to the complete, ad-free Litreading archive—by subscribing at litreading.supercast.com.For just a few cents a day, you’ll unlock every story I’ve ever read, hear new episodes first, and support this little literary labor of love.That’s litreading.supercast.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Without individual compassion, the good, old days were rarely good for orphaned or disabled children. Love hearing these classic tales?Get access to the complete, ad-free Litreading archive—by subscribing at litreading.supercast.com.For just a few cents a day, you’ll unlock every story I’ve ever read, hear new episodes first, and support this little literary labor of love.That’s litreading.supercast.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A young man seeks help from a stranger on a park bench. Does he deserve it? Love hearing these classic tales?Get access to the complete, ad-free Litreading archive—by subscribing at litreading.supercast.com.For just a few cents a day, you’ll unlock every story I’ve ever read, hear new episodes first, and support this little literary labor of love.That’s litreading.supercast.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Saki (or H.H. Munro) is considered to be one of the greatest short story masters of all-time for his biting humor and spot on satire as evidenced by the unique story in the form of a playlet.Saki (the pen name of H.H. Munro) was a prolific and witty short storyist of the early 20th century. A 1910 review of his worked stated that “Saki has one of the lightest and most entertaining touches of the humorists of the day.” He died from a sniper’s bullet in France during WWI. Love hearing these classic tales?Get access to the complete, ad-free Litreading archive—by subscribing at litreading.supercast.com.For just a few cents a day, you’ll unlock every story I’ve ever read, hear new episodes first, and support this little literary labor of love.That’s litreading.supercast.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What would you do if your conscience no longer nagged you? Love hearing these classic tales?Get access to the complete, ad-free Litreading archive—by subscribing at litreading.supercast.com.For just a few cents a day, you’ll unlock every story I’ve ever read, hear new episodes first, and support this little literary labor of love.That’s litreading.supercast.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thankfully, I can now read Hemingway to you. This story is a powerful way to start. It’s a tale of duty, pain, suffering, racism and so much more. It has myriad twists and turns and all manner of fascinating subplots for such a short story. You may need to listen more than once. Hemingway penned this early work at the age of 24, shortly after the birth of his first child (which may explain the subject matter) by his first wife. It wasn’t published until 1925 and later became part of his first short story collection. Love hearing these classic tales?Get access to the complete, ad-free Litreading archive—by subscribing at litreading.supercast.com.For just a few cents a day, you’ll unlock every story I’ve ever read, hear new episodes first, and support this little literary labor of love.That’s litreading.supercast.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Since we just shared a cat story, how about another one from our story archive? Here is a biting satire of Victorian Era British upper class from the perspective of the family cat who gains a startling new skill.Saki was the pen name of British author, H.H. Munro who was one of true masters of the short story. Love hearing these classic tales?Get access to the complete, ad-free Litreading archive—by subscribing at litreading.supercast.com.For just a few cents a day, you’ll unlock every story I’ve ever read, hear new episodes first, and support this little literary labor of love.That’s litreading.supercast.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Being a dog person, some of my favorite stories feature dogs. It only seems fair to feature a feline character. And you couldn’t ask for a story than one from a two time Pulitzer Prize winner.This story was part of Booth Tarkington’s extremely popular Penrod stories, that, during their day rivaled the popularity of Mark Twain’s Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. Tarkington is only one of three authors to win two Pulitzer Prizes for Fiction. The other two: Faulkner and Updike. Love hearing these classic tales?Get access to the complete, ad-free Litreading archive—by subscribing at litreading.supercast.com.For just a few cents a day, you’ll unlock every story I’ve ever read, hear new episodes first, and support this little literary labor of love.That’s litreading.supercast.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

While forward to the future we often forget the darkness that is part of life. Love hearing these classic tales?Get access to the complete, ad-free Litreading archive—by subscribing at litreading.supercast.com.For just a few cents a day, you’ll unlock every story I’ve ever read, hear new episodes first, and support this little literary labor of love.That’s litreading.supercast.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A young man's longing for love is briefly fulfilled on one moonlight evening on the sea off the coast of Cannes. Love hearing these classic tales?Get access to the complete, ad-free Litreading archive—by subscribing at litreading.supercast.com.For just a few cents a day, you’ll unlock every story I’ve ever read, hear new episodes first, and support this little literary labor of love.That’s litreading.supercast.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.