The American Short Story

A wonderful introduction to America's most beloved authors, and the transformation of their stories into film

The stories collected here were chosen for adaptation and inclusion in a series of films sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities, bringing together the works of America's master writers of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

"Paul's Case" by Willa Cather
Now considered a true classic, Willa Cather's tale brings to life a sensitive high-school student who runs away to embrace the offbeat, artistic life he craves. But will he find his dreams . . . or tragedy?

"The Greatest Man in the World" by James Thurber
Thurber's unique satire creates Jack "Pal" Smurch, a mechanic's helper in a small garage in Westfield, Iowa, who becomes a national hero as the first pilot to fly around the world--with hilarious results.

"The Sky Is Gray" by Ernest J. Gaines
The author of The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman illustrates the meaning of black manhood in a story filled with pain--of poverty, of a young boy's life, of a mother's dreams--and with transcendent, heart-lifting joy.

And five more superb stories by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Mark Twain, Ring Lardner, Katherine Anne Porter, and William Faulkner, presented with their award-winning film adaptations

Calvin Skaggs is the president of Lumiere Productions. Skaggs has directed or produced more than 30 films for theatrical and television exhibition. His award-winning films have screened at the Venice Film Festival and the Sundance Film Festival. His work as a producer has been featured on PBS, the Discovery Channel, HBO, and more. He earned a PhD from Duke University. He is the editor of The American Short Story: Volume 1 and The American Short Story: Volume 2.