The majority of employees are allowed an hour in the middle of the day to get something to eat and relax. Some shop at the mall or hit the gym for a short workout. Still others like nothing more than to sit somewhere quiet and read one of their favorite lunchtime short stories. Sometimes it is easier to read something through to completion rather than try to read a few pages that are part of a larger work. There are many classics that can be absorbed in less than an hour.
Margaret Atwood is known for her quirky characters and fantastical plots. "Stone Mattress" is the title story in a collection of nine. Verna, the protagonist, is about to embark on a cruise to the Arctic when she catches sight of a fellow passenger she recognizes. It turns out to be an old flame who did her wrong years earlier. Verna has already killed four husbands, and she is not adverse to adding an old lover to her collection.
Love him or hate him, Ernest Hemingway was a brilliant prose writer. "The Snows of Kilimanjaro" is a good short story whether you like the author or not. In it Harry, a jaded writer, along with his wife, Helen, have fled Paris for Africa. Dying from gangrene, Harry reminisces about his loves lost and opportunities squandered.
"Three Questions" is a parable Leo Tolstoy wrote between all those lengthy novels he is so well known for. This story is about a king who sets out to find the answer to the three most important questions in life. He is seeking a wise hermit and ends up tending a seriously wounded man. In the end the king finds out he already has the answers to his questions.
Mark Twain is one of America's most beloved storytellers. "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" is the work that brought him to the public's attention. His story of a big talking gambler is a cautionary tale. Jim Smiley will bet on anything including the height his frog can jump. He makes his claims to the wrong stranger, who tricks him and takes off with the ante. Ironically the story resulted from a bet Twain made himself.
The Jazz Age was the background for much of F. Scott Fitzgerald's work. Tragic stories of easy money and tortured souls made him famous. "The Diamond As Big As the Ritz" is in this vein. John Unger meets Percy on a prep school campus and is quickly made to understand that Percy's family is the wealthiest on the planet. It seems they are sitting on a diamond as big as the Ritz Carlton.
The iconic Irish novelist, James Joyce, wrote many short stories about Irish family life. "Eveline" is a good example of this. The title character has a choice to make. She can decide to remain with a hard and abusive father or travel far away from him with her lover. Her decision often surprises readers.
People who love books and words and stories will read almost anything as long as it engages their imagination. The tale can be long or short. It doesn't matter as long as it is well written.
Margaret Atwood is known for her quirky characters and fantastical plots. "Stone Mattress" is the title story in a collection of nine. Verna, the protagonist, is about to embark on a cruise to the Arctic when she catches sight of a fellow passenger she recognizes. It turns out to be an old flame who did her wrong years earlier. Verna has already killed four husbands, and she is not adverse to adding an old lover to her collection.
Love him or hate him, Ernest Hemingway was a brilliant prose writer. "The Snows of Kilimanjaro" is a good short story whether you like the author or not. In it Harry, a jaded writer, along with his wife, Helen, have fled Paris for Africa. Dying from gangrene, Harry reminisces about his loves lost and opportunities squandered.
"Three Questions" is a parable Leo Tolstoy wrote between all those lengthy novels he is so well known for. This story is about a king who sets out to find the answer to the three most important questions in life. He is seeking a wise hermit and ends up tending a seriously wounded man. In the end the king finds out he already has the answers to his questions.
Mark Twain is one of America's most beloved storytellers. "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" is the work that brought him to the public's attention. His story of a big talking gambler is a cautionary tale. Jim Smiley will bet on anything including the height his frog can jump. He makes his claims to the wrong stranger, who tricks him and takes off with the ante. Ironically the story resulted from a bet Twain made himself.
The Jazz Age was the background for much of F. Scott Fitzgerald's work. Tragic stories of easy money and tortured souls made him famous. "The Diamond As Big As the Ritz" is in this vein. John Unger meets Percy on a prep school campus and is quickly made to understand that Percy's family is the wealthiest on the planet. It seems they are sitting on a diamond as big as the Ritz Carlton.
The iconic Irish novelist, James Joyce, wrote many short stories about Irish family life. "Eveline" is a good example of this. The title character has a choice to make. She can decide to remain with a hard and abusive father or travel far away from him with her lover. Her decision often surprises readers.
People who love books and words and stories will read almost anything as long as it engages their imagination. The tale can be long or short. It doesn't matter as long as it is well written.
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