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• Archive: Imagine that, in one sitting, you could enter a world of imagination and witness the triumphs, tragedies, errors, and epiphanies that arise in the lives of ordinary and extraordinary people.
• Imagine that, in the time it takes to run an errand, you could gain remarkable insights about the true nature of humanity—its dark secrets and its saving graces.
• Imagine that, in the space of an hour, you could do this instead:Visit a Harlem jazz club and hear the inspired improvisations of gifted bluesmenAttend a glittering Parisian ball bedecked in borrowed jewelsConfront a dangerous criminal on a lonely backwoods roadJourney back to colonial America and encounter a coven of witchesThis enlightening experience awaits you in Masterpieces of Short Fiction, a 24-lecture course that samples two centuries' worth of great short stories written by some of the acknowledged masters of the genre, including Anton Chekhov, D. H. Lawrence, Flannery O'Connor, Franz Kafka, and Ernest Hemingway.Dr.
• Michael Krasny, Professor of English at San Francisco State University and the host of KQED's award-winning news and public affairs radio program, Forum, guides you deep into 23 renowned works, illuminating the remarkable variety, breathtaking artistry, and profound themes to be found in these miniature masterpieces.The Art of the Present MomentAlthough short stories have been around throughout history in the form of myths, fables, and legends, the short story as a distinct art form arose only during the 19th century, just in time for the busy age we all live in.More than simply a shorter version of the novel, the short story is a unique and rewarding literary form in itself.
• Great short fiction offers something you can find nowhere else: a world in miniature faithfully captured by the author's mastery of character, plot, setting, image, and theme.