Authentic North American short stories enhance students' reading skills, language learning, and enjoyment of literature. The stories in this book were chosen for their universal appeal. Among the authors included are Nathaniel Hawthorne, Kate Chopin, Langston Hughes, Ernest Hemingway, and Shirley Jackson. Pre-reading and post-reading activities arouse students' interest, check their comprehension, increase their knowledge of grammar and vocabulary, and provide thought-provoking discussion and writing assignments. Literary term explanations enhance students' appreciation of literature.