Those of us who love short stories know the magic behind a well-told tale.

There
are times when you just need a complete story with a beginning, a middle, and an
end. And you need it fast. Well, we�ve got some great news: A lot of incredible
short stories are actually available online, and you can read them for free right
now! It�s the perfect way to spend a lunch break, the moments while dinner is in
the oven or your last few minutes before bedtime. Without further ado, here�s our
list of great short stories you can read for free right now. The list features a
blend of works from contemporary authors, as well as short stories from your
favorite classic authors. Read on for our complete list of free short stories!

Contemporary Free Short Stories

These stories are by contemporary authors. If you�ve never read these authors
before, their free short stories will give you a taste of their style before you
commit to one of their longer works. There�s something for everyone, with genres
ranging from science fiction to historical fiction to horror.

�The Hunter�s Wife� by Anthony Doerr

Gorgeous descriptions of nature fill this story of a hunter and his younger,
psychic wife during a Montana winter. After reading it, you�ll be amazed by the
talent of Doerr, who earned a Pulitzer Prize for his novel All The Light We Cannot
See.

�Premium Harmony� by Stephen King

King fans won�t want to miss this 2009 short story which appeared in The New
Yorker. A bickering couple stop at a convenience store and find their lives taking
an unexpected dark turn. If you read closely, you�ll also catch references to the
horror writer�s other works here.

�Broads� by Roxane Gay

You�ll get a kick out of this saucy story by Roxane Gay, author of Bad Feminist.
Jimmy has a thing for loud, bold women. But it�s not until he meets a diner
waitress that he finally seems to get what he wants.

�And of Clay We Are Created� by Isabel Allende

We�re transfixed by this story based on a real-life natural disaster. A volcano
erupted in Colombia in 1985 and caused mudslides that tragically killed 23,000
people. Weaving culture with a gripping personal drama, Allende�s story centers on
the rescue of Azucena, a girl trapped in the mud.

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�Girls, At Play� by Celeste Ng
This story by the author of New York Times bestselling novels Everything I Never
Told You and Little Fires Everywhere may shock you at first. It focuses on three
13-year-old girls who play a very adult game at school. But when a new girl
arrives, they are able to recapture some of the innocence they�ve lost.

�Ghosts and Empties� by Lauren Groff

This poignant story follows a mother on her evening walk as she contemplates the
history of her neighborhood, the personal lives of the people within, and her own
raging emotions. Though short, it�s a powerful read for those overcome by feelings
in their own lives.

�The Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees� by E. Lily Yu

A finalist for both the Nebula and Hugo awards, this short story is more than it
seems. While on the surface it�s a tale of the battle between bees and wasps,
underneath it carries deeper political themes and questions that you will want to
discuss with your book buddies.

�The Faery Handbag� by Kelly Link

We�re betting you�ll find this Kelly Link story as delightful as we do. Genevieve�s
grandmother Zofia claims her handbag houses a group of fairies. One day, Genevieve
discovers if it�s true. This acclaimed story won three major awards � the Nebula,
Locus, and Hugo.

�The Water That Falls on You from Nowhere� by John Chu

What if it rained every time someone lied? That�s the world where Matt exists in
this fanciful, thought-provoking John Chu tale. When Matt needs to come out to his
traditional Chinese parents, not to mention discuss marriage with his partner,
he�ll have to weather the challenges� in more ways than one.

�St. Lucy�s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves� by Karen Russell

Those of us who adore Karen Russell�s magical realism know that this story is a
must-read. A group of werewolves� daughters come to a halfway house run by nuns,
where they are encouraged to civilize. But the girls struggle not to fall back on
their old wolfish habits.

�Younger Women� by Karen Joy Fowler

We�ve got a serious crush on this story from the author of The Jane Austen Book
Club. Jude�s suspicious when her 15-year-old daughter, Chloe, starts dating a
mysterious boy. She becomes even more so when he comes to dinner, because Eli is
far from normal�

�Queenie� by Alice Munro

This short by Nobel Prize�winning Alice Munro is a slow burn, but powerful. After
her sister Queenie elopes with an older widower, Chrissy reflects on her own
choices and what could have been.

Classic Free Short Stories

If you haven�t read these classic short stories, you�re missing out. Cozy up and
take 15 minutes to read one of these free short stories today.

The Nine Stories collection by J.D. Salinger

If you loved The Catcher in the Rye, you won�t want to skip this collection of
Salinger stories published in 1953. Of particular note are �Perfect Day for
Bananafish� and �For Esme � With Love and Squalor,� two of the more well-known
tales, both featuring children and illustrating the haunting effects of war.

�The Dead� by James Joyce

We�re so curious about the shocking twist in this story by acclaimed Irish author
James Joyce. At a lush Dublin New Year�s Eve party, Gabriel�s wife tells him a
secret that will have lasting impact � on him and the reader.

�The Lady with the Little Dog� by Anton Chekhov

Published at the turn of century, this Chekhov story follows a married man who has
a brief but passionate affair with a younger woman whom he meets while she�s
walking her dog. It�s rumored to be a favorite of fellow classic author Vladimir
Nabokov.
�To Build a Fire� by Jack London
Readers who are drawn to Jack London�s stories of survival in the wild shouldn�t
skip this short. Set in the frozen Yukon Territory, it follows a man who unwisely
decides to hike with only a dog for company and is forced to put his survival
skills to the test. You�d better read this one with a hot cup of tea or coffee
nearby.

�The Monkey�s Paw� by W. W. Jacobs

If you haven�t already read it, �The Monkey�s Paw� will unsettle you � and make you
think very differently about wishes! When the White family is shown a mummified
monkey�s paw which is given the magical ability to grant wishes, Mr. White can�t
resist a simple wish. But the price he pays is ghastly�

�The Cask of Amontillado� by Edgar Allan Poe

Horror fans � especially those who�ve read Poe�s other work � will find this
revenge story delightfully macabre. After his friend Fortunato wrongs him,
Montresor lures him during the carnival season to the catacombs, where he
introduces the man to a truly sinister fate.

�The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County� by Mark Twain

A quirky Twain tale that is not to be missed! Jim Smiley loves to bet. But when he
finds a frog, trains it to jump, and wagers that this prized frog is the best
jumper in the county, he learns a painful lesson.

�Bartleby, the Scrivener� by Herman Melville

This story is one of the last published by the Moby-Dick author. One day, at his
Wall Street copyist job, Bartleby refuses an assignment from his boss, saying, �I
would prefer not to.� What happens will have you glued to the pages.

�In the Penal Colony� by Franz Kafka

Though strange and disturbing, you�ll still be thinking about Franz Kafka�s �In the
Penal Colony� after you�ve finished. A visitor to a penal colony witnesses an odd
method of execution: a machine which engraves the crime on the prisoner before he
dies. But does the punishment fit the crime?

�Symbols and Signs� by Vladimir Nabokov

Appearing in a 1948 issue of The New Yorker, this story centers on an older couple
who visit their mentally ill son who has just attempted suicide. Returning home,
the father decides to remove the son from the hospital. Interwoven in the story �
which lends itself to multiple interpretations � is the family�s history as Russian
Jews.

�The Veldt� by Ray Bradbury

If you adore Bradbury as much as we do, you�ll love reading this science fiction
about technology gone awry. A family of four lives in a home equipped with advanced
technology, including a simulation room for the children to experience their
wildest fantasies. But when their parents become disturbed by the house�s control
over their children, they must fight back.

What are your favorite short stories?

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