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.

In this century of incredible chaos, the globe of Nations have undergone many changes. The world has become a very different place to former times. Its authors too have placed these tumultuous changes into stories which sparkle with purpose, with ambition and the ability to share.

1 - The Top 10 - The 20th Century - The American Men - An Introduction

2 - The Great Good Place by Henry James

3 - Bernice Bobs Her Hair by F Scott Fitzgerald

4 - The Gift of the Magi by O Henry

5 - The Color Out of Space by H P Lovecraft

6 - To Build a Fire by Jack London

7 - Eve's Diary by Mark Twain

8 - A Dark Brown Dog by Stephen Crane

9 - The Great Slave by Zane Grey

10 - Hands by Sherwood Anderson

11 - The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell