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There is something about the number 3. The Ancient Greeks believed 3 was the perfect number, and in China 3 has always been a lucky number, and they know a thing or two. Most religions also have 3 this and 3 that and, of course, in these mo

Six has always been a number we group things around – Six of the best, six of one half a dozen of another, six feet under, six pack, six degrees of separation and a sixth sense are but a few of the ways we use this number.Such is its popularity that we thought it is also a very good way of challenging and investigating an author's work to give width, brevity, humour and depth across six of their very best.In this series we gather together authors whose short stories both rivet the attention and inspire the imagination to visit their gems in a series of six, to roam across an author's legacy in a few short hours and gain a greater understanding of their writing and, of course, to be lavishly entertained by their ideas, their narrative and their way with words.These stories can be surprising and sometimes at a tangent to what we expected, but each is fully formed and a marvellous adventure into the world and words of a literary master.

Over the long course of literature there are many stories which stand out, maybe jump out would be a better analogy in this context, with a theme from another world, the other side, a world we usually cannot see but which can take over our personal space in a blink of irrational thought. Reason tends to dissolve and instead panic and fear become our likely partners. And this is all before we actually journey along the awkward story path the author has devised for us.

Barry Eric Odell Pain was born at 3 Sydney Street in Cambridge on 28th September 1864. He was one of 4 children.He was educated at Sedbergh School and then Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.In 1889, Cornhill Magazine published his short story ‘The Hundred Gates'. This opened the way for Pain to advance his literary career on several fronts. He became a contributor to Punch and The Speaker, as well as joining the staff of both the Daily Chronicle and Black and White. Pain was also a noted and prominent contributor to The Granta and from 1896 to 1928 a regular contributor to the Windsor Magazine.It is often said that Pain was discovered by Robert Louis Stevenson, who compared his work to that of Guy de Maupassant. It's an apt comparison. Pain was a master of disturbing prose but was also able to inject parody and light comedy into many of his works. A simple premise could in his hands suddenly expand into a world very real but somehow emotionally fraught and on the very edge of darkness.Barry Pain died on 5th May 1928 in Bushey, Hertfordshire.

British horror master Barry Pain's collection contains some of his best work, including the classics'The Moon-Slave'and'The Undying Thing'plus seven more.'As a writer of parody and lightly humorous stories his name has become widely known.'—Encyclopedia Brittanica

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.Most people will shrug at the name of ‘Barry Pain', if you are one of them you are in for a treat. Pain was a brilliant storyteller who took on difficult issues and situations and handled each with aplomb and a knowing way that only true talent can.

Barry Eric Odell Pain was born at 3 Sydney Street in Cambridge on 28th September 1864. He was one of 4 children.He was educated at Sedbergh School and then Corpus Christi College, Cambridge where he read classics and contributed to and edited Granta.Four years of service as an Army coach followed before he moved to London. In 1889, Cornhill Magazine published his short story ‘The Hundred Gates'. This opened the way for Pain to advance his literary career on several fronts. He became a contributor to Punch and The Speaker, as well as joining the staff of both the Daily Chronicle and Black and White. In 1897 he succeeded Jerome K Jerome as editor of To-Day but still contributed regularly, until 1928, to the Windsor Magazine.It is often said that Pain was discovered by Robert Louis Stevenson, who compared his work to that of Guy de Maupassant. It's an apt comparison. Pain was also a master of disturbing prose but able to inject parody and light comedy into many of his works. A simple premise could in his hands suddenly expand into a world very real but somehow emotionally fraught and on the very edge of darkness as many of these short stories demonstrate. Despite applying his talents to several genres and forms today Pain is more readily thought of, especially during the first decade of the 20th Century, as perhaps the leading British humorist of his day. These stories reveal a darker side and beg to differ.

Barry Eric Odell Pain was born at 3 Sydney Street in Cambridge on 28th September 1864. He was one of 4 children.He was educated at Sedbergh School and then Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.In 1889, Cornhill Magazine published his short story ‘The Hundred Gates'. This opened the way for Pain to advance his literary career on several fronts. He became a contributor to Punch and The Speaker, as well as joining the staff of both the Daily Chronicle and Black and White. Pain was also a noted and prominent contributor to The Granta and from 1896 to 1928 a regular contributor to the Windsor Magazine.It is often said that Pain was discovered by Robert Louis Stevenson, who compared his work to that of Guy de Maupassant. It's an apt comparison. Pain was a master of disturbing prose but was also able to inject parody and light comedy into many of his works. A simple premise could in his hands suddenly expand into a world very real but somehow emotionally fraught and on the very edge of darkness.Barry Pain died on 5th May 1928 in Bushey, Hertfordshire.

Barry Eric Odell Pain was born at 3 Sydney Street in Cambridge on 28th September 1864. He was one of 4 children.He was educated at Sedbergh School and then Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.In 1889, Cornhill Magazine published his short story ‘The Hundred Gates'. This opened the way for Pain to advance his literary career on several fronts. He became a contributor to Punch and The Speaker, as well as joining the staff of both the Daily Chronicle and Black and White. Pain was also a noted and prominent contributor to The Granta and from 1896 to 1928 a regular contributor to the Windsor Magazine.It is often said that Pain was discovered by Robert Louis Stevenson, who compared his work to that of Guy de Maupassant. It's an apt comparison. Pain was a master of disturbing prose but was also able to inject parody and light comedy into many of his works. A simple premise could in his hands suddenly expand into a world very real but somehow emotionally fraught and on the very edge of darkness.Barry Pain died on 5th May 1928 in Bushey, Hertfordshire.

Barry Eric Odell Pain was born at 3 Sydney Street in Cambridge on 28th September 1864. He was one of 4 children.He was educated at Sedbergh School and then Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.In 1889, Cornhill Magazine published his short story ‘The Hundred Gates'. This opened the way for Pain to advance his literary career on several fronts. He became a contributor to Punch and The Speaker, as well as joining the staff of both the Daily Chronicle and Black and White. Pain was also a noted and prominent contributor to The Granta and from 1896 to 1928 a regular contributor to the Windsor Magazine.It is often said that Pain was discovered by Robert Louis Stevenson, who compared his work to that of Guy de Maupassant. It's an apt comparison. Pain was a master of disturbing prose but was also able to inject parody and light comedy into many of his works. A simple premise could in his hands suddenly expand into a world very real but somehow emotionally fraught and on the very edge of darkness.Barry Pain died on 5th May 1928 in Bushey, Hertfordshire.

Barry Eric Odell Pain was born at 3 Sydney Street in Cambridge on 28th September 1864. He was one of 4 children.He was educated at Sedbergh School and then Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.In 1889, Cornhill Magazine published his short story ‘The Hundred Gates'. This opened the way for Pain to advance his literary career on several fronts. He became a contributor to Punch and The Speaker, as well as joining the staff of both the Daily Chronicle and Black and White. Pain was also a noted and prominent contributor to The Granta and from 1896 to 1928 a regular contributor to the Windsor Magazine.It is often said that Pain was discovered by Robert Louis Stevenson, who compared his work to that of Guy de Maupassant. It's an apt comparison. Pain was a master of disturbing prose but was also able to inject parody and light comedy into many of his works. A simple premise could in his hands suddenly expand into a world very real but somehow emotionally fraught and on the very edge of darkness.Barry Pain died on 5th May 1928 in Bushey, Hertfordshire.

Barry Eric Odell Pain was born at 3 Sydney Street in Cambridge on 28th September 1864. He was one of 4 children.He was educated at Sedbergh School and then Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.In 1889, Cornhill Magazine published his short story ‘The Hundred Gates'. This opened the way for Pain to advance his literary career on several fronts. He became a contributor to Punch and The Speaker, as well as joining the staff of both the Daily Chronicle and Black and White. Pain was also a noted and prominent contributor to The Granta and from 1896 to 1928 a regular contributor to the Windsor Magazine.It is often said that Pain was discovered by Robert Louis Stevenson, who compared his work to that of Guy de Maupassant. It's an apt comparison. Pain was a master of disturbing prose but was also able to inject parody and light comedy into many of his works. A simple premise could in his hands suddenly expand into a world very real but somehow emotionally fraught and on the very edge of darkness.Barry Pain died on 5th May 1928 in Bushey, Hertfordshire.

Barry Eric Odell Pain was born at 3 Sydney Street in Cambridge on 28th September 1864. He was one of 4 children.He was educated at Sedbergh School and then Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.In 1889, Cornhill Magazine published his short story ‘The Hundred Gates'. This opened the way for Pain to advance his literary career on several fronts. He became a contributor to Punch and The Speaker, as well as joining the staff of both the Daily Chronicle and Black and White. Pain was also a noted and prominent contributor to The Granta and from 1896 to 1928 a regular contributor to the Windsor Magazine.It is often said that Pain was discovered by Robert Louis Stevenson, who compared his work to that of Guy de Maupassant. It's an apt comparison. Pain was a master of disturbing prose but was also able to inject parody and light comedy into many of his works. A simple premise could in his hands suddenly expand into a world very real but somehow emotionally fraught and on the very edge of darkness.Barry Pain died on 5th May 1928 in Bushey, Hertfordshire.

Barry Eric Odell Pain was born at 3 Sydney Street in Cambridge on 28th September 1864. He was one of 4 children.He was educated at Sedbergh School and then Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.In 1889, Cornhill Magazine published his short story ‘The Hundred Gates'. This opened the way for Pain to advance his literary career on several fronts. He became a contributor to Punch and The Speaker, as well as joining the staff of both the Daily Chronicle and Black and White. Pain was also a noted and prominent contributor to The Granta and from 1896 to 1928 a regular contributor to the Windsor Magazine.It is often said that Pain was discovered by Robert Louis Stevenson, who compared his work to that of Guy de Maupassant. It's an apt comparison. Pain was a master of disturbing prose but was also able to inject parody and light comedy into many of his works. A simple premise could in his hands suddenly expand into a world very real but somehow emotionally fraught and on the very edge of darkness.Barry Pain died on 5th May 1928 in Bushey, Hertfordshire.

Barry Eric Odell Pain was born at 3 Sydney Street in Cambridge on 28th September 1864. He was one of 4 children.He was educated at Sedbergh School and then Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.In 1889, Cornhill Magazine published his short story ‘The Hundred Gates'. This opened the way for Pain to advance his literary career on several fronts. He became a contributor to Punch and The Speaker, as well as joining the staff of both the Daily Chronicle and Black and White. Pain was also a noted and prominent contributor to The Granta and from 1896 to 1928 a regular contributor to the Windsor Magazine.It is often said that Pain was discovered by Robert Louis Stevenson, who compared his work to that of Guy de Maupassant. It's an apt comparison. Pain was a master of disturbing prose but was also able to inject parody and light comedy into many of his works. A simple premise could in his hands suddenly expand into a world very real but somehow emotionally fraught and on the very edge of darkness.Barry Pain died on 5th May 1928 in Bushey, Hertfordshire.

Barry Eric Odell Pain was born at 3 Sydney Street in Cambridge on 28th September 1864. He was one of 4 children.He was educated at Sedbergh School and then Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.In 1889, Cornhill Magazine published his short story ‘The Hundred Gates'. This opened the way for Pain to advance his literary career on several fronts. He became a contributor to Punch and The Speaker, as well as joining the staff of both the Daily Chronicle and Black and White. Pain was also a noted and prominent contributor to The Granta and from 1896 to 1928 a regular contributor to the Windsor Magazine.It is often said that Pain was discovered by Robert Louis Stevenson, who compared his work to that of Guy de Maupassant. It's an apt comparison. Pain was a master of disturbing prose but was also able to inject parody and light comedy into many of his works. A simple premise could in his hands suddenly expand into a world very real but somehow emotionally fraught and on the very edge of darkness.Barry Pain died on 5th May 1928 in Bushey, Hertfordshire.

Barry Eric Odell Pain was born at 3 Sydney Street in Cambridge on 28th September 1864. He was one of 4 children.He was educated at Sedbergh School and then Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.In 1889, Cornhill Magazine published his short story ‘The Hundred Gates'. This opened the way for Pain to advance his literary career on several fronts. He became a contributor to Punch and The Speaker, as well as joining the staff of both the Daily Chronicle and Black and White. Pain was also a noted and prominent contributor to The Granta and from 1896 to 1928 a regular contributor to the Windsor Magazine.It is often said that Pain was discovered by Robert Louis Stevenson, who compared his work to that of Guy de Maupassant. It's an apt comparison. Pain was a master of disturbing prose but was also able to inject parody and light comedy into many of his works. A simple premise could in his hands suddenly expand into a world very real but somehow emotionally fraught and on the very edge of darkness.Barry Pain died on 5th May 1928 in Bushey, Hertfordshire.

Barry Eric Odell Pain was born at 3 Sydney Street in Cambridge on 28th September 1864. He was one of 4 children.He was educated at Sedbergh School and then Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.In 1889, Cornhill Magazine published his short story ‘The Hundred Gates'. This opened the way for Pain to advance his literary career on several fronts. He became a contributor to Punch and The Speaker, as well as joining the staff of both the Daily Chronicle and Black and White. Pain was also a noted and prominent contributor to The Granta and from 1896 to 1928 a regular contributor to the Windsor Magazine.It is often said that Pain was discovered by Robert Louis Stevenson, who compared his work to that of Guy de Maupassant. It's an apt comparison. Pain was a master of disturbing prose but was also able to inject parody and light comedy into many of his works. A simple premise could in his hands suddenly expand into a world very real but somehow emotionally fraught and on the very edge of darkness.Barry Pain died on 5th May 1928 in Bushey, Hertfordshire.

Barry Eric Odell Pain was born at 3 Sydney Street in Cambridge on 28th September 1864. He was one of 4 children.He was educated at Sedbergh School and then Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.In 1889, Cornhill Magazine published his short story ‘The Hundred Gates'. This opened the way for Pain to advance his literary career on several fronts. He became a contributor to Punch and The Speaker, as well as joining the staff of both the Daily Chronicle and Black and White. Pain was also a noted and prominent contributor to The Granta and from 1896 to 1928 a regular contributor to the Windsor Magazine.It is often said that Pain was discovered by Robert Louis Stevenson, who compared his work to that of Guy de Maupassant. It's an apt comparison. Pain was a master of disturbing prose but was also able to inject parody and light comedy into many of his works. A simple premise could in his hands suddenly expand into a world very real but somehow emotionally fraught and on the very edge of darkness.Barry Pain died on 5th May 1928 in Bushey, Hertfordshire.

Barry Eric Odell Pain was born at 3 Sydney Street in Cambridge on 28th September 1864. He was one of 4 children.He was educated at Sedbergh School and then Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.In 1889, Cornhill Magazine published his short story ‘The Hundred Gates'. This opened the way for Pain to advance his literary career on several fronts. He became a contributor to Punch and The Speaker, as well as joining the staff of both the Daily Chronicle and Black and White. Pain was also a noted and prominent contributor to The Granta and from 1896 to 1928 a regular contributor to the Windsor Magazine.It is often said that Pain was discovered by Robert Louis Stevenson, who compared his work to that of Guy de Maupassant. It's an apt comparison. Pain was a master of disturbing prose but was also able to inject parody and light comedy into many of his works. A simple premise could in his hands suddenly expand into a world very real but somehow emotionally fraught and on the very edge of darkness.Barry Pain died on 5th May 1928 in Bushey, Hertfordshire.

'Uno scambio di anime'è scritto come un resoconto narrato in prima persona da uno dei personaggi, un certo Compton. Il narratore è amico di uno strano studioso, il dottor Myas, impegnato in esperimenti vagamente scientifici. Tali esperimenti consistono nel riuscire a compiere ciò che fa da titolo alla novella, ovvero Uno scambio di anime, inteso più precisamente come un travaso di coscienze. Alla porta di Compton un giorno arriva la fidanzata di Myas che gli rivela di essere Myas stesso o, piuttosto, la sua anima maschile imprigionata nel corpo della donna, mentre l'anima di questa non esiste più. La'donna'spiega che lo studioso aveva costruito un apparecchio capace di scambiare le anime di due persone e lui e la sua fidanzata l'avevano sperimentato personalmente. Si erano ritrovati pertanto'invertiti': l'anima maschile dello studioso nel corpo della donna, e l'anima femminile della fidanzata nel corpo dello studioso. Ma l'apparecchiatura si era rotta dopo il transfert e, cosa ancor peggiore, la fidanzata era morta subito dopo l'esperimento. Myas si trova ora intrappolato nel corpo della fidanzata, mentre l'anima di lei è scomparsa: è quindi sua intenzione quella di recuperare tutte le sue facoltà psico-mentali e di riprendere gli esperimenti al fine di attirare nuovamente l'anima della fidanzata nel suo corpo. Una beffa più che un dramma, se non fosse per un doppio finale che sorprenderà i lettori.

This book contains 70 short stories from 10 classic, prize-winning and noteworthy authors. The stories were carefully selected by the critic August Nemo, in a collection that will please the literature lovers. For more exciting titles, be sure to check out our 7 Best Short Stories and Essential Novelists collections. This book contains: Fitz-James O'Brien: - The Diamond Lens. - The Lost Room. - What Was it? A Mystery. - My Wife's Tempter. - The Golden Ingot. - The Child Who Loved a Grave. - The Wondersmith.Francis Marion Crawford: - The Dead Smile. - The Screaming Skull. - Man Overboard! - For The Blood Is The Life. - The Upper Berth. - By The Waters of Paradise. - The Doll's Ghost.Francis Stevens: - Behind the Curtain. - Unseen — Unfeared. - Elf Trap. - Serapion. - Friend Island. - Citadel of Fear. - Nightmare!Barry Pain: - Aunt Martha. - The Bet. - The Boy in the Book. - The Discovery of Nesting. - Eliza and the Special. - The Kindness of the Celestial. - The Victim of Apparatus.Frank L. Packard: - Corporal Bob. - The Guardian of the Devil's Slide. - Where's Haggerty? - McQueen's Hobby. - Munford. -'If a Man Die'- The Blood of Kings.Paul Laurence Dunbar: - The Scapegoat. - One Christmas At Shiloh. - The Mission Of Mr. Scatters. - A Matter Of Doctrine. - Old Abe's Conversion. - The Race Question. - A Defender Of The Faith.Otis Adelbert Kline: - The Corpse on the Third Slab. - The Man from the Moon. - The Cup of Blood. - Mignight Madness. - The Malignant Entity. - The Bird-People. - The Thing of a Thousand Shapes.John Ulrich Giesy: - The Occult Detector. - The Purple Light. - The Significance of the High'D'. - The Wistaria Scarf. - The Master Mind. - Rubies of Doom. - The House of Invisible Bondage.Valery Bryusov: - The Republic of the Southern Cross. - The Marble Bust. - For Herself or for Another. - In the Mirror. - Protection. - The'Bemol'Shop of Stationery. - Rhea Silvia.Eleanor H. Porter: - A Delayed Heritage. - The Folly of Wisdom. - The Letter. - The Elephant's Board and Keep. - Crumbs. - The Lady in Black. - That Angel Boy.

Barry Pain, english journalist, poet and writer. He was known as a writer of parody and lightly humorous stories, but he also wrote many horror stories, which were well received by the lay men and critics alike. Best remembered for his Eliza group of comedic short stories. The critic August Nemo selected seven short stories by this remarkable author for your enjoyment: - Aunt Martha. - The Bet. - The Boy in the Book. - The Discovery of Nesting. - Eliza and the Special. - The Kindness of the Celestial. - The Victim of Apparatus.

This book contains 350 short stories from 50 classic, prize-winning and noteworthy authors. Wisely chosen by the literary critic August Nemo for the book series 7 Best Short Stories, this omnibus contains the stories of the following writers: - Sheridan Le Fanu - H. and E. Heron - Charlotte Riddell - Flora Annie Steel - Amelia B. Edwards - Margaret Oliphant - Edward Bellamy - Arnold Bennett - S. Baring-Gould - Daniil Kharms - E.F. Benson - John Buchan - Ella D'Arcy - Jacques Futrelle - Frank Richard Stockton - John Kendrick Bangs - Kenneth Grahame - Julian Hawthorne - A. E. W. Mason - Richard Middleton - Pierre Louÿs - Sir Hugh Seymour Walpole - Ethel Richardson - Gertrude Stein - E. Phillips Oppenheim - Arthur Quiller-Couch - Mór Jókai - Andy Adams - Bertha Sinclair - Fitz James O'Brien - Eleanor H. Porter - Valery Bryusov - John Ulrich Giesy - Otis Adelbert Kline - Paul Laurence Dunbar - Frank Lucius Packard - Barry Pain - Gertrude Bennett - Francis Marion Crawford - William Pett Ridge - Gilbert Parker - Harriet Elizabeth Prescott Spofford - Elizabeth Garver Jordan - Richard Austin Freeman - Alice Duer Miller - Leonard Merrick - Anthony Hope - Ethel Watts Mumford - Anne O'Hagan Shinn - B. M. Bower

This early work by Barry Pain was originally published in 1901 and we are now republishing it as part of our Cryptofiction Classics series.'The Gray Cat'is a short story about a cat, a little statue, and a mysterious death. The Cryptofiction Classics series contains a collection of wonderful stories from some of the greatest authors in the genre, including Ambrose Bierce, Arthur Conan Doyle, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Jack London. From its roots in cryptozoology, this genre features bizarre, fantastical, and often terrifying tales of mythical and legendary creatures. Whether it be giant spiders, werewolves, lake monsters, or dinosaurs, the Cryptofiction Classics series offers a fantastic introduction to the world of weird creatures in fiction.

Barry Pain was a prolific and popular mystery and horror writer whose career spanned forty years. Though somewhat neglected in his day, he is now seen as an important writer, and a great inspiration for authors such as H. P. Lovecraft. Many of the earliest and most interesting vampire stories, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.