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 Introduction

2 - The Million Pound Bank Note by Mark Twain

3 - Desiree's Baby by Kate Chopin

4 - The Death of the Lion - Part 1 by Henry James

5 - The Death of the Lion - Part 2 by Henry James

6 - The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

7 - The Open Boat by Stephen Crane

8 - An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce

9 - A New England Nun by Mary E Wilkins Freeman

10 - The Mysterious Card by Cleveland Moffet

11 - The Wife of His Youth by Charles W Chesnutt

12 - The Repairer of Reputations Part 1 by Robert W Chambers

13 - The Repairer of Reputations - Part 2 by Robert W Chambers