The Penguin Book of the British Short Story: 1: From Daniel Defoe to John Buchan

'Aboldanthology...alivewithprovocationsandinsights'JohnCarey,SundayTimes'TheBoy-scoutsmistookmysignal,andhavekilledthepostman.I'vehadverylittlepracticeinthissortofthing,yousee'TheBritishshortstorytraditionisprobablytherichest,mostvariedandhistoricallyextensiveintheworld.Thisnewanthologycelebratesthefulldiversityandenergyofitswriters,subjectsandtones,fromthestory'soriginswithDefoe,SwiftandFielding,tothe'goldenage'ofthefindesiècleandEdwardianperiod,endingwiththeFirstWorldWar.Includingthemostfamousauthorsaswellassomemagnificent,little-knownstoriesneverrepublishedsincetheirfirstappearanceinmagazinesandperiodicals,thesestoriesarebyturnstopicalandplayful,ghostlyandtheatrical,rumbustiousandsublime.EditedwithanintroductionbyPhilipHensher