'Best Short Stories of 1917' Summary

This volume collects some of the best American short stories published in 1917 as selected by Edward J. O'Brien. The stories represent a wide range of styles and themes, and they offer a valuable glimpse into the state of American literature at the time. In his introduction, O'Brien argues that the American short story is not in decline, but rather that it is undergoing a period of experimentation and innovation. He points to the stories in this volume as evidence of the vitality of the form. The stories in this volume include: * "The End of the World" by Sherwood Anderson * "The Heart of the Machine" by Ring Lardner * "The Masque of the Red Death" by Edgar Allan Poe * "The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe * "The Fall of the House of Usher" by Edgar Allan Poe * "Ligeia" by Edgar Allan Poe * "A Descent into the Maelström" by Edgar Allan Poe * "The Angel of the Odd" by Edgar Allan Poe * "Hop-Frog" by Edgar Allan Poe * "The Lagoon" by Joseph Conrad * "Youth" by Joseph Conrad