O. Henry wrote many stories, but this, the story of two "ultimate gifts", is his most famous.

The Gift of the Magi

This is a selection from The Jungle Book, in which a mongoose saves the day.

Riki-Tiki-Tavi

This first volume of Favorite Science Fiction Stories features "the best of the best" from the Golden Age of science fiction. It includes 21 stories by, among others, Andre Norton, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Robert Silverberg, Stanley G. Weinbaum, Philip...

Favorite Science Fiction Stories, Volume 1

The Turn of the Screw has been described by many critics as the most sophisticated and terrifying ghost story in the English language. It is considered one of the great intellectual "spook tales" of all time. The story concerns a naive young governes...

The Turn of the Screw

The biggest collection yet of favorite sci-fi stories - 16 full hours! Titles included are:"The Missing Link" by Frank Herbert,"Arm of the Law" by Harry Harrison, "No Moving Parts by Murray F. Yaco,"The Hills of Home" by Alfred Coppell,"The Measure o...

Favorite Science Fiction Stories

Lewis Carroll was a minister in the Church of England and a Professor of Mathematics at Christ Church College. In his diary he described "An expedition up the river to Godstowe with the the three Liddells", daughters of the college Dean, "on which oc...

Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass

This second collection of favorite science fiction stories includes: "The Coffin Cure" by Alan Edward Nourse, "Cat and Mouse" by Ralph Williams, "The Blue Tower" by Evelyn E. Smith, "The Gift Bearer" by Charles Fontenay, "History Repeats" by George O...

Favorite Science Fiction Stories, Volume 2

My Ántonia is considered one of the greatest novels by American writer Willa Cather. It is the final book of the "prairie trilogy" of novels by Cather that also includes O Pioneers! and The Song of the Lark. My Ántonia tells the stories of several im...

My Antonia

This superlative work by Sarah Orne Jewett, a late 19th century writer, shows great literary skill, artistry and charm. The Country of the Pointed Firs depicts the close personal and family relationships in a small New England village. In its appreci...

The Country of the Pointed Firs

The plot is simple: Lady Susan, a clever and ruthless widow, determines that her shy and intimidated teenaged daughter will going to marry a man whom both detest but who will make a good financial "catch". Lady Susan sets her own sights on her sister...

Lady Susan

Here is Twain's humorous, but also touching, look at Adam and Eve, in which he presents two very different interpretations of Eden.

Adam and Eve's Diaries

The fifth set of Favorite Science Fiction Stories contains the following titles: "The Skull" by Phlip K. Dick, "Sam/ This Is You" by Murray Leinster, "Manners of the Age" by Horace Brown Fyfe, "Omnilingual" by H. Beam Piper, "Heist Job on Theiser" by...

Favorite Science Fiction Stories, Volume 5

Everyone knows about Santa Claus of course and his wonderful trip around the world on the night before Christmas. But what about his early life? Where was he born? What was he like as a youth? How did he come to be such a wonderful toymaker? When did...

The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus

Andre Alice Norton was one of the best and most prolific science-fiction writers ot the 20th century. She was the first woman to win the Gandalf Grand Master Award from the World Science Fiction Society in 1977, and she won the Damon Knight Memorial ...

The Gifts of Asti

O Pioneers! is one of Willa Cather's greatest novels. It is the story of a family of Swedish immigrants who take up farming in Nebraska. Young Alexandra Bergson becomes a heroine in the story when her father dies and she must take up the challenge of running the farm and taking care of her family. The portrait of Alexandra that Cather creates makes her one of the most-strong willed, intelligent and memorable characters in American literature.

O Pioneers!

Charles Eastman (1858-1939) was the first Native American physician to serve on the Pine Ridge Reservation and a prolific author of works about Indian life and culture. He is unique among Indian writers, whether storytellers or oral historians. He wa...

Wigwam Evenings

Mary Roberts Rinehart's name is synonomous with well-crafted mystery, and this novel, which combines both mystery and adventure, shows Rinehart's tremendously vivid powers as a storyteller.  In this book, Mrs. Pittman, a boardinghouse keeper, is conv...

The Case of Jennie Brice

"Beyond Lies the Wub" was Philip K. Dick's first published story and appeared in Planet Stories magazine. In it, a crew takes an alien aboard their ship but the alien's appearance belies its intelligence and powers.

Beyond Lies the Wub

Volume 6 contains the following 21 stories:   "Perchance to Dream" by Richard Stockham,  "Father Image" by Robert Silverburg,  "Tree, Spare That Woodman" by Dave Dryfoos,  "Disaster Revisited" by Darius John Granger,  "Subversive" by Mack Reynolds,  ...

Favorite Science Fiction Stories, Volume 6

What happens when an "always gets her own way" young heiress is kidnapped by a "pirate" and his motley crew then spirited away to a hidden island? Return to the days of ragtime, riches and wall street royalty in this classic tale of the "poor little rich girl" and her "bad boy" sweetheart. A delightful re-telling of the girl meets boy scenario with an "O Henry" twist.

The Offshore Pirate

This second delightful collection of children's stories contains the following titles: "The Three Goblins", by Mabel G. Taggart; "Alladin and the Wonderful Lamp", edited by Andrew Lang; "Cinderella", by the Brothers Grimm; "The Griffon and Minor Cano...

Favorite Children's Stories, Volume 2

Before she was two years old, a serious illness destroyed Helen Keller's sight and hearing. At seven, alone and withdrawn, she was rescued by Ann Sullivan, her teacher and friend. By the time she was 16, Helen could speak well enough to attend prepar...

The Story of My Life

This is the timeless tale of Dorothy and her friends, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodsman, and the Cowardly Lion, in the enchanting land of OZ. Those who have only seen the movie are in for a real treat, as much of the book did not make it into the classic 1939 film.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Hester Prynne commits adultery in a Puritan settlement and, as a result, is "branded" for the rest of her life by having to wear a scarlet letter "A" on her breast. Throughout the story, a complex relationship develops between Hester, her lover, her husband, and her daughter.   This recording does not include Hawthorne's essay "The Customs House".

The Scarlet Letter

The third volume of this popular series includes the following 23 stories:  "King Thrushbird" by The Brothers Grimm "The Enchanted Horse" from The Arabian Knights "My Father's Dragon" by Ruth Stiles Gannet "The Magic Mirror" by Edith Howes "Jack and ...

Favorite Children's Stories, Book 3

"Bernice Bobs Her Hair" was Fitzgerald's fourth Saturday Evening Post story and provided the subject for the dust-jacket illustration when it was collected in Flappers and Philosophers. In the story, Bernice's long flowing hair is one of her greatest treasures. When her cousin Marjorie suggests she "bob" it, life changes for both of them.

Bernice Bobs Her Hair

Washington Irving was an American author of the early 19th century. He is best known for his short stories, with his two most famous being "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip van Winkle".

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

This collecton features some of Twain's best known stories, as well as some lesser-known gems, such as "A Mysterious Visit", "The Facts Concerning the Recent Carnival of Crime in Connecticut", and "The Loves of Alonzo Fitz-Clarence and Rosannah Ethel...

Mark Twain: Selected Stories

One of the most remarkable things about this book, the "mother of all monster stories", is that is was written by a teenager, the 19-year-old wife of Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. The story concerns a scientist, Victor Frankenstein, who conduct...

Frankenstein

Here's Anderson's wonderful story of the power of persuasion.

The Emperor's New Clothes

A king, a queen, a baby's christening, an overlooked guest and a curse. Author George McDonald takes the classic motiff and turns it on it's ear when the newborn princess loses....her gravity! An uninvited guest shows up anyway and the newborn prince...

The Light Princess

"The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg" is one of Mark Twain's most satiric and biting stories. It first appeared in Harper's Monthly in December 1899. A town that prides itself on its honesty finds itself severely tested. One of the demons Twain always ...

The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg and Other Stories

Washington Irving was a prolific writer known today primarily for four short stories: "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow", "The Devil and Tom Walker", "The Phantom Island", and, of course, "Rip Van Winkle".  Rip Van Winkle is known as a good neighbor, a fr...

Rip Van Winkle

This is a selection from Kipling's Just So Stories for Little Children. The "just so" stories are highly fantasized origin stories that are among Kipling's best known and, arguably, best works.

The Cat That Walked by Himself (Dramatized)

Mary E. Wilkins Freeman is known primarily as a "feminist" and "local color" writer, for such classic tales as "The Revolt of Mother". She wrote very entertaining stories that included clear depictions of the pressures that often silenced or devalued women and their concerns. This famous story gets that message across but not without a bit of humor.

The Revolt of Mother

Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm are among the best known storytellers from Europe. In addition to the Bremen Town Musicians, some of their most famous tales as Rumpelstiltskin, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel, Cinderella, and Hansel and Gretel.In this ...

The Bremen Town Musicians

In this story, an old witch takes pity on a poor soldier and gives him a box with remarkable powers. As a result, he has many astounding adventures.

The Tinderbox

This is one of Washington Irving's most famous stories, ranking just behind "Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van Winkle". Tom Walker was not the nicest soul you'd ever meet. When he agrees to work with a stranger he comes upon in the woods, more things chang...

The Devil and Tom Walker

Remember when you believed that your toys could talk to you and when you had a favorite stuffed animal? This lovely tale will take you back to those days and you will learn how children can love a toy into becoming real.

The Velveteen Rabbit

Kipling was a British author and poet, born in India. He is best known for the many children's tales, his Indian spy novel Kim (1901), a number of poems, and many short stories. This gentle supernatural story is one of his best.

They

F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote some amazing short stories - everything from romances to mind-boggling fantasies. This collection includes five of his most famous and most imaginative stories. The are: "The Offshore Pirate," "The Diamond as Big as the Ritz," "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," "Bernice Bobs Her Hair," and "Head and Shoulders".

Five by Fitzgerald

O. Henry is the pen name of American writer William Sydney Porter. Porter wrote over 400 short stories and they are known for their wit, wordplay, characterization, and the clever use of twist endings. The Four Million is the most famous collection o...

The Four Million

Three centuries of bloodsucking, evil vampires are presented to a modern audience in Favorite Vampire Stories: Tales with Bite - Volume 2, a second collection of "classic" vampire short stories. Let your blood run cold as you listen to stories of Vic...

Favorite Vampire Stories: Tales with Bite - Volume 2

Guy de Maupassant was a popular 19th-century French writer. He is considered one of the fathers of the modern short story. As a protégé of Flaubert, his short stories are characterized by their economy of style and their efficient effortless resolution.  A Piece of String is one of his most famous stories and deals in a very touching way with perception versus reality.

A Piece of String

Frank Belknap Long was a prolific and popular American writer of science fiction and fantasy. During his life, he received the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement, the Bram Stoker Award for Lifetime Achievement and the First Fandom Hall of Fame ...

The Calm Man

Angelina Turner would heartily agree with Dicken's Ebenezer Scrooge that Christmas is a "humbug". She is estranged from her family and doesn't think much of the holiday, so she decides to test her theory that there is no such thing as the "Christmas ...

The Christmas Angel

"The Adventure of the Speckled Band" is the 8th of 12 stories collected in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. It was originally published in Strand Magazine in 1892. Doyle thought that this was his best Holmes story. In fact, he thought so much of it that he wrote and produced a play based on the story. The play, originally called "The Stonor Case," differed from the story in several details but was essentially the same.

The Adventure of The Speckled Band

This is an eclectic collection of short stories from some of the world's most beloved authors.Stories included are:"The Story of an Hour", by Kate Chopin"The Other Two", by Edith Wharton "Desiree's Baby", by Kate Chopin "Wiser Than a God", by Kate Ch...

Women in Literature

The second books of stories continues the adventures of Mowlgi, the Jungle Boy, and contains the following stories: "How Fear Came", "The Miracle of Purun Bhagat", "Letting in the Jungle", "The Undertakers", "The King's Ankus", "Quiquern", "Red Dog", and "The Spring Running".

The Second Jungle Book

Still wildly popular today, this collection of ghost stories was first published in 1919. A few of the stories reflect the prejudices and language of the era and would not be considered "politically correct" now but are nonetheless excellent stories....

The Best Ghost Stories

A ghost-hunter finds that the deserted house where he is spending the night is haunted - by a man who was literally scared to death. Fantasy and horror writer Algernon Blackwood wrote more than 200 short stories and 12 novels, plus plays, an autobiography, and poetry. His stories feature intense emotions and a careful introduction of the supernatural aspect, with the ordinary gradually becoming mysterious and awe-inspiring.

The Woman's Ghost Story

Dot and the Kangaroo, written in 1899, is a children's book by Ethel C. Pedley about a little girl named Dot who gets lost in the Australian outback and is eventually befriended by a group of marsupials.  The book was turned into a movie in 1977 that featured animation over a live background. It was so popular, that another eight movies in the series were made by 1994. 

Dot and the Kangaroo

Frank R. Stockton (1834-1902) was an American writer and humorist. His short stories were very popular in his day and are gaining a new audience today. Stockton used humor to poke fun at human foibles and created fantastic characters that he describe...

The Lady or the Tiger and Other Stories

Guy de Maupassant is considered one of the fathers of the modern short story. His narratives are characterized by an economy of style and the efficient way in which the various threads are neatly resolved.  In "The False Jewels", a man who dotes on his wife is crushed by her unexpected death and then astounded by a revelation about her costume jewelry.

The False Jewels

Guy de Maupassant is considered one of the fathers of the modern short story as well as one of the form's finest writers. His stories are characterized by their economy of style and efficient, seemingly effortless dénouements. This collectin features...

Guy de Maupassant: Selected Stories

Frank Stockton was an American writer and humorist, best known for a series of innovative children's fairy tales that were widely popular. His most famous fable is "The Lady or the Tiger?" (1882), about a man sentenced to an unusual punishment for having a romance with a king's beloved daughter. Other memorable tales are "The Griffin and the Minor Canon", "Old Pypes and the Dryad", and "Mr. Tolman".

Old Pipes and the Dryad

"O. Henry" is the pen name of American writer William Sydney Porter whose short stories are known for their wit, warm characterization and clever, unexpected endings. The Princess and the Puma is one of porter's best, and most anthologized stories.

The Princess and the Puma

"Goody Two Shoes", published by an anonymous author in 1765, has long been one of the most popular children's stories ever written. It is the kind of story your grandmother might have told, and its message of optimism, bravery, and the rewards of hon...

Goody Two Shoes

The Beginning of the Armadillos (Dramatized)

Bram Stoker created an incredible novel in Dracula. The success of the vampire novel unfortunately overshadowed most of his other writings. This volume contains nine of his best short stories, including the one in which the character of Dracula first...

Dracula's Guest and Other Stories

A poor boy is helped on his quest by six servants with very unusual powers.

The Six Servants (Dramatized)

Oscar Wilde was one of the most versatile writers who ever lived. He wrote classic plays, including The Importance of Being Ernest; one wildly popular and influential novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray; and a number of inventive and moving stories in The Happy Prince and Other Tales.  Stories included in this volume are: "The Nightingale and the Rose", "The Devoted Friend", "The Happy Prince", "The Remarkable Rocket", and "The Selfish Giant".

The Happy Prince and Other Tales

Mary Eleanor Wilkins Freeman (1852-1930) was a prominent 19th century American author. Until recently, she was known primarily as a "feminist" writer, for her classic stories like "A New England Nun" and "The Revolt of Mother". However, she also wrot...

The Shadows on the Wall

Here is another of O. Henry's entertaining "surprise ending" stories. A girl moves to the city looking for a friend she had lost track of and finds him in a very unusual way.

The Skylight Room

O. Henry is know as the master of the "surprise ending" short story. In this story two young lovers quarrel. As a result, the young man accepts a post in a far away obscure country he calls The Land of the Lotus. He finally begins to accept the fact that he will never see the love of his life again when a mysterious bottle washes up on shore and the result is a very unusual surprise ending - even for O. Henry.

The Lotus and the Bottle

In this "gentle ghost story", the ghost makes itself known in a most unusual way.

A Pair of Hands

This is the first story of The Jungle Book, in which the reader is introduced to Mowgli, the jungle boy, and his animal friends.

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