As variegated as the American experience itself, this original treasury reflects the vibrant role of the short story in American literature. Fourteen outstanding tales by famous authors unfold in settings ranging from the decaying family mansion of Edgar Allan Poe's dark psychological thriller, "The Fall of the House of Usher," to the bustling modern apartment building of John Cheever's domestic drama, "The Enormous Radio." Moods and attitudes shift from the simmering menace of a lynch mob in William Faulkner's "Dry September" to the gentle optimism of an elderly couple in Ring Lardner's "The Golden Honeymoon." This anthology is a fine companion for all who appreciate well-crafted tales.