The Top 10 Short Stories - The English Authors of the South East: The top ten Short Stories of all time written by English authors born in the South East

Written by Charles Dickens

Narrated by Ian Holm, Richard Mitchley and Jake Urry

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 small corner of England, just across from Europe, some of England’s finest literary talent was born, raised and created short stories that still thrill the soul and ravish the brain with a verve and talent that is second to none. In their words true genius is often found.

1 - The Top 10 - English Authors of the South-East - An Introduction

2 - The Signalman by Charles Dickens

3 - The Man Who Could Work Miracles by H G Wells

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

5 - The Death Room by Edgar Wallace

6 - The Unfortunate Bride or The Blind Lady a Beauty by Aphra Behn

7 - Pink Flannel by Ford Maddox Ford

8 - Sophy Mason Comes Back by E M Delafield

9 - Mrs Amworth by E F Benson

10 - Freckles by William Pett Ridge

11 - Frida, or The Lover's Leap, A Legend of the West Country by R D Blackmore

• Language: English
• Publisher: The Copyright Group
• Release date: Feb 2, 2022
• ISBN: 9781803541532

Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens (1812-1870) was an English writer and social critic. Regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era, Dickens had a prolific collection of works including fifteen novels, five novellas, and hundreds of short stories and articles. The term “cliffhanger endings” was created because of his practice of ending his serial short stories with drama and suspense. Dickens’ political and social beliefs heavily shaped his literary work. He argued against capitalist beliefs, and advocated for children’s rights, education, and other social reforms. Dickens advocacy for such causes is apparent in his empathetic portrayal of lower classes in his famous works, such as The Christmas Carol and Hard Times.