Short Stories of Our Time is a selection of 13 short stories by contemporary authors, all with 20th Century urban settings. The stories have been chosen to appeal to students who are impatient with the classics but respond to stories which illuminate the reality they know.

From a master of modern American letters comes an enthralling collection of brilliant short fiction about people who, as E. L. Doctorow notes in his Preface, are somehow “distinct from their surroundings—people in some sort of contest with the prevailing world.” Containing six unforgettable stories that have never appeared in book form, and a selection of previous classics, All the Time in the World is resonant with the mystery, tension, and moral investigation that distinguish the fiction of E. L. Doctorow.

Essays by popular children's authors reveal the books that shaped their personal and literary lives, explaining how the stories they loved influenced them creatively, politically, and intellectually.

Short-Short Stories: for Readers Short of Time is a compilation of 61 ultra-short stories two pages or less in length. These are in marked contrast to "regular" short stories that average 12 to 16 pages and may extend to a whopping 30 to 40 pages. If you're like the author, you're especially open to brief jolts of literature that consume only a few minutes -or even less-each. In our fast-paced society, economy of words while reading-and writing-is correspondingly appropriate. Snatch a sampling of stories when riding on short-duration bus, train, and car trips; waiting for a dentist or physician; and maybe even while on a commode. A re-read of a story may provide an added benefit. In this book you will find the short-short stories to be highly varied. Read about a woman having to learn wildflower names from her fiancee; the dwarf planet Pluto's complaint of losing its planet's status; a snake-fearing woman who prefers her snakes having legs; and a nearly 80-year-old fiddler worried about contracting AIDS from "bad blood" during bypass surgery. The photographs are meant to complement the stories. But they can be appreciated on their own merits. You will note that their titles differ from those of the stories.

This volume offers a survey of American short fiction in 59 tales that combine classic works with 'different, unexpected gems', which invite readers to explore a wealth of important pieces by women and minority writers. Authors include: Amy Tan, Alice Adams, David Leavitt and Tim O'Brien.