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.

From realism, to horror, to entirely new genres, authors in this Century sparkle with wit and purpose as they drive literature forward in expansive and pulsating new ways reflecting the harnessing of their talents to the bewildering changes in society.

1 - The Top 10 - The 20th Century - The Men - 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 - A Hunger Artist by Franz Kafka

6 - The Gift of the Magi by O Henry

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

8 - Morphine by Mikhail Bulgakov

9 - To Build a Fire by Jack London

10 - War by Luigi Pirandello

11 - The Color Out of Space by H P Lovecraft

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