Short stories have always been a sort of instant access into an author’s brain, their soul and heart. A few pages can lift our lives into locations, people and experiences with a sweep of landscape, narration, feelings and emotions that is difficult to achieve elsewhere.In this series we try to offer up tried and trusted ‘Top Tens’ across many different themes and authors. But any anthology will immediately throw up the questions – Why that story? Why that author? The theme itself will form the boundaries for our stories which range from well-known classics, newly told, to stories that modern times have overlooked but perfectly exemplify the theme. Throughout the volume our authors whether of instant recognition or new to you are all leviathans of literature.Some you may disagree with but they will get you thinking; about our choices and about those you would have made. If this volume takes you on a path to discover more of these miniature masterpieces then we have all gained something.For America, as the century closes, she is becoming less isolated. Her industrial might, her rising military power are pulling her ever closer into the entangled globe of nations. Her authors flex ideas and lexicons with riveting tales of this astonishing society.1 - The Top 10 - The 1890's - The Americans - An Introduction2 - The Million Pound Bank Note by Mark Twain3 - Desiree's Baby by Kate Chopin4 - The Death of the Lion - Part 1 by Henry James5 - The Death of the Lion - Part 2 by Henry James6 - The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman7 - The Open Boat by Stephen Crane8 - An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce9 - A New England Nun by Mary E Wilkins Freeman10 - The Mysterious Card by Cleveland Moffet11 - The Wife of His Youth by Charles W Chesnutt12 - The Repairer of Reputations Part 1 by Robert W Chambers13 - The Repairer of Reputations - Part 2 by Robert W Chambers