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

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 the heartlands of England, in its gritty and grimy industrial landscape, literary talent abounds. Experiences learnt and observed here have found their way into many of the finest literary works this country has produced. Genius has many names.

1 - The Top 10 - English Authors of the West Midlands - An Introduction

2 - The Lifted Veil - Part 1 by George Eliot

3 - The Lifted Veil - Part 2 by George Eliot

4 - The Absent Minded Man by Jerome K Jerome

5 - The Matador of the Five Towns by Arnold Bennett

6 - The Last House in C Street by Mrs Craik

7 - Reality or Delusion by Mrs Ellen Wood

8 - The Ghost in the Clock Room by Hesba Stretton

9 - Blessed Are the Meek by Mary Webb

10 - The Dust of Death by Fred M White

11 - Alexander the Ratcatcher by Richard Garnett

12 - Her Murderer by Mary Cholmondeley