"The one novella and four stories in The Old Child go beyond the limits of the expected, the real. Somber, nostalgic and often mystical, these marvelous fictions provide glimpses into the minds of outcasts and eccentrics. The parable-like novella The Old Child describes a girl's mind seemingly blank: picked up off the street with no discoverable past, she is brought to a children's home where she finds she can "succeed by her silence." In another story, "Siberia," the heroine smuggled out of a Russian camp vigorously re-establishes herself in her old home. In "Hale and Hallowed," a woman pays a surprise nighttime visit to her friend with whom she shared a hospital room when their two sons were born."--BOOK JACKET.

A collection of award-winning science fiction written by two-time Nebula award winner, Gardner Dozois. Here youll find Dozois short stories "Morning Child" and _The Peacemaker,Ó both winners of the Nebula for best science fiction short story. Also includes Dozois classics "A Dream at Noonday," "Chains of the Sea," "The Hanging Curve," "The Bride" (with Jack Dann), and "Ancestral Voices" (with Michael Swanwick). From the introduction: The stories in this collection were published between 1970 and 2003, and thus represent a considerable chunk, perhaps a majority share, of not only my career but my life. . .when some critic asks me what was in my mind when I came up with a certain trope in one of those stories, or what some bit of symbolism really means, why I chose some word or image instead of another, or sometimes even just what the specific inspiration for a story was, often I just cant tell him¾Im not that kid anymore. . .So, perhaps its an odd way to review your career, by the places where youve lived. Probably not very satisfactory to the critics. The most disgruntled among them will just have to get that time-machine and go back and ask that bright-eyed young twenty-year-old kid about his work. If you see him, say hi for me. Gardner Dozois is known for his beautiful evocation of setting and emotional intensity within a truly alien and often austere vision of the future. He is a science fiction master of the first order¾a fact fully on display in this outstanding collection. At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). _Lyric, haunting, heartbreaking¾this is science fiction at its best.Ó¾George R.R. Martin Science Fiction Hall of Fame Inductee Gardner Dozois is the winner of two Nebula awards for fiction. _My generation of writers has produced relatively few authentic masters of the short form. Gardner Dozois is one of them.Ó¾William Gibson

Eight stories follow the life of a young teacher at the Columbia School of journalism as he courts his wife, becomes a father, and learns to live with his own flaws

The First Person and Other Stories is the fourth collection of short stories by Ali Smith. The First Person and Other Stories effortlessly appeals to our hearts, heads and funny bones. Always intellectually playful, but also very moving and funny, Smith explores the ways and whys of storytelling. In one, a middle-aged woman conducts a poignant conversation with her gauche fourteen-year-old self. In another, an innocent supermarket shopper finds in her trolley a foul-mouthed, insulting and beautiful child. Challenging the boundaries between fiction and reality, a third presents its narrator, 'Ali', as she drinks tea, phones a friend and muses on the relationship between the short story and - a nymph. Innovative, sophisticated and intelligent, the stories in The First Person and Other Stories are packed full of ideas, jokes, nuance and compassion. Ali Smith and the short story are made for each other. 'Smith's is a profoundly optimistic vision. These stories are frightening yet funny, and the sheer exuberance and playfulness of her language endows dark matters with a lightness of touch' New Statesman 'She's a genius, genuinely modern in the heroic, glorious sense' Alain de Botton 'Terrific . . . hurrah for Ali Smith . . . The best short-story writers make it look as easy as making a cup of tea. Ali Smith is one of these . . . A bold and brilliant collection of stories by a writer unafraid to give it to us as it is' Times 'A glorious collection that celebrates and subverts the short story form' Independent

In 'The Old Castle and Other Stories' by Anonymous, readers are transported to a world of mystery and intrigue through a collection of haunting and atmospheric tales. The book showcases the author's ability to create vivid settings and complex characters, drawing readers in with its rich language and atmospheric descriptions. As a work of Gothic fiction, the stories are filled with dark themes of betrayal, revenge, and the supernatural, making for a captivating and immersive reading experience. Anonymous utilizes elements of foreshadowing and symbolism to create a sense of unease, keeping readers on edge until the chilling conclusion of each story. The literary style of the book is reminiscent of classic Gothic literature, with a modern twist that will appeal to fans of the genre. Anonymous' decision to write 'The Old Castle and Other Stories' may have been influenced by a fascination with the supernatural or a desire to explore themes of morality and human nature. The author's anonymity adds an air of mystery to the collection, inviting readers to speculate about the motivations behind the stories. Readers who enjoy atmospheric and suspenseful fiction will find this book to be a captivating read that will linger in their minds long after they have finished the last page.

This is a joyful collection of six short stories, including A China Cup, How Scarlet-Comb the Cock defended the Right, The Tiny Screw, The Dream, Browny, The Old Sword's Mistake, 'My Own', and The Tale about how all these Tales came to Light. Each story is designed to entertain and instruct both children and adults on the simple joys of living a good life. With themes of family, friendship, loyalty and bravery.

• How does a philandering London lawyer explain the condom his shocked wife found in his clothes that morning? 
• Can sophisticated Ada hold her breath—and misgivings—long enough to finish consulting the musty mystic healer on her childlessness? 
• Why does feisty Nez seem to be doing everything possible to fail her visa interview at the US Embassy? 
• Will straitlaced Susan, a chorister and prayer warrior, come up with a ruse in time to stop her partner from yielding to the rapacious preacher? 

Intrigue follows intrigue as The Condom and Other Stories reels out a colorful cast of characters that readers will love and loathe at the same time. The seventeen stories are told at pace, each laced with humor, snappy dialogue, and the occasional twist. As the heroines and heroes wade through encounters and trying relationships, their inflamed passions, conflicted moralities, and nifty schemes come together to produce a series of amusing results.

There are eight much-loved tales in this volume. They have become 'classics' of children's fiction: stories like Sleeping Beauty and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

A BOLD WALKABOUT ACROSS THE LAND OF VISION, IMAGINATION, AND REALITY "The stories in this book are a combination of my imagination, vision, and experiences and contacts," writes storyteller Judith A. Lewis about this compelling collection of 65 stories about the Australian Outback, the Pacific, India, and traveling. "They came to me in vivid detail and I felt compelled to share these insights into a richer way of looking at our relationship to the Earth." Her theme is the journey, across landscapes, through cultures, or into the vivid realms of visionary experience. Lewis writes evocatively about traveling, in spirit and body, across Aboriginal and cultural terrains, from meeting kangaroo spirits to long-lost fathers. But she writes with equal insight and warmth about the enigmas of the heart, its secrets, joys, aspirations, and epiphanies. A twelve-year-old girl survives an illness by communing with the waratah in bloom. A traveler in Bombay is arrested by beauty amidst the frenetic urban haze. Two twins separated in early childhood journey towards each other. A homeless man constantly walks the highways to bury his past. An Aboriginal medicine man named Waramingo meets the Dreamtime ancestors. "A lot of the visionary stories pertain to the land and its secrets and those who visit it from afar," Lewis says. "I believe that the Earth is alive and awaiting our recognition as are the other dimensions that we all could inhabit. I hope my stories help you remember what you already know, that there is no separation, that everything, from stones to stars, is part of us on this lovely planet."