Top 10 Short Stories, The - Eastern Europe

The Top 10 – Eastern Europe - An Introduction From the Central plain of Europe to the Urals, many thousands of miles away, the nations of Eastern Europe have risen to become Empires and fallen underfoot to others. Their literary tradition has always been strong and vibrant, bold and beguiling. Within the many cultures and societies the narrative of the human condition is told in many startling and beautiful ways. 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. 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. 1 - The Top Ten - Eastern Europe - An Introduction 2 - A Hunger Artist by Franz Kafka 3 - The Lady with the Dog by Anton Chekhov 4 - The Cloak by Nikolai Gogol also known as 'The Overcoat' 5 - The District Doctor by Ivan Turgenev 6 - The Shot by Alexander Pushkin 7 - A Legend of Old Egypt by Boleslaw Prus 8 - Hide And Seek or Pliatki by Fyodor Sologub 9 - Silence by Leonid Nikolaevich Andreyev 10 - The Bundle of Letters by Moritz Jokai 11 - The Chamomile Drops by Jaroslav Hasek