The best short stories of 1918, and the yearbook of the American short story

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

39635

Title

The best short stories of 1918, and the yearbook of the American short story

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Edited by Edward J. O'Brien, this 1918 anthology captures the literary spirit of America during World War I. Featuring sixty distinguished short stories from major magazines, the collection explores themes of war, loss, and resilience. With contributions from renowned authors like Sinclair Lewis and Wilbur Daniel Steele, it offers a poignant snapshot of the era's human experience.

Summary up to 500 words

Published in 1918, *The Best Short Stories of 1918, and the Yearbook of the American Short Story* stands as a dual-purpose volume: a curated anthology of fiction and a comprehensive historical record of American literature during World War I. Edited by Edward J. O'Brien, the book compiles sixty stories originally published in leading periodicals between January and October of that year, capturing the profound cultural and psychological impact of the global conflict. The volume is divided into two distinct sections. The first, *The Best Short Stories of 1918*, presents individual narratives ranging from the tragic to the humorous. Notable entries include G. Humphrey's *The Father's Hand*, which depicts a French refugee who aids anti-aircraft defenses during air raids, and Sinclair Lewis's *The Open Window*, a tale of a young man navigating a war-torn landscape. These stories collectively address the loss of young men, the psychological toll of conflict, and the shifting social landscape of the era. The second section, *The Yearbook of the American Short Story*, serves as a critical and bibliographic resource. It provides critical summaries, biographical honors, and detailed indexes of stories published in magazines during the specified period. This section includes addresses of American magazines publishing short stories, a biographical roll of honor for American and foreign authors, and a critical summary of the best books of short stories of 1918. It also features an index of short stories in books and magazines, offering a vast reference tool for researchers and readers. O'Brien's introduction acknowledges the collaborative nature of the anthology, emphasizing the contributions of numerous authors and publishers. The volume reflects a world where talk had become uniform due to the war, yet literature continued to explore the full spectrum of human emotion. From the simple acts of piety to the cruelities of modern warfare, the collection remains a valuable resource for understanding the literary and cultural context of World War I. By preserving these narratives alongside critical analysis, the book ensures that the voices of 1918 are not lost to history.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Short Stories
• American Fiction