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 tumultuous century world wars will shatter all of Europe and Britain will finally be forcible divorced from Catholic Ireland. Revolution and economic disaster are followed by a society that appears more equal, growing in confidence and its authors use every morsel of debate to create excellent literary works.

1 - The Top 10 - The British & Irish Men - The 20th Century - An Introduction

2 - The Dead - Part 1 by James Joyce

3 - The Dead - Part 2 by James Joyce

4 - The Rocking Horse Winner by D H Lawrence

5 - The Interlopers by Saki the pseudonym for H H Munro

6 - The Informer by Joseph Conrad

7 - Oh Whistle and I'll Come to You My Lad by M R James

8 - The Salvation of a Forsythe - Part 1 by John Galsworthy

9 - The Salvation of a Forsythe - Part 2 by John Galsworthy

10 - August Heat by W F Harvey

11 - The Matador of the Five Towns by Arnold Bennett

12 - The Kit Bag by Algernon Blackwood

13 - The Burial of the Rats by Bram Stoker