A sweeping survey of American short fiction, in a collection of tales combining classic works with 'different, unexpected gems' There are little known stories, such as Mark Twain's 'Cannibalism in the cars' and harrowing and dreamlike, allegorical fiction by Malville The introductions to each writer blend biographical information with the author's own observations on their work An introductory essay offers the fruit of years of reflection on a genre in which she herself is a master