Hawthorne's Short Stories

Here are the best of Hawthorne's short stories. There are twenty-four of them — not only the most familiar, but also many that are virtually unknown to the average reader. The selection was made by Professor Newton Arvin of Smith College, a recognized authority on Hawthorne and a distinguished literary critic as well. His fine introduction admirably interprets Hawthorne's mind and art.

Presents a selection of twenty four of the author's most notable short stories, including "Young Goodman Brown," "Rappacini's daughter," and "The birthmark."

\Nathaniel Hawthorne (1805-64) was an American novelist and short-story writer. He was born in Salem, Massachusetts, and graduated from Bowdoin College. His first novel, Fanshawe, was published anonymously in 1828, followed by several collections of short stories, including Twice-Told Tales and Mosses from an Old Manse. His later novels include The Scarlet Letter, The House of Seven Gables, The Blithedale Romance, and The Marble Faun.

Newton Arvin (1900-63) was a literary critic and professor at Smith College known for his influential writings about nineteenth-century American literature. He is the author of biographies of Nathaniel Hawthorne and Walt Whitman, and his biography of Herman Melville won the National Book Award in 1951.

The gray champion — The minister's black veil — The maypole of Merry Mount — The gentle boy — Wakefield — The great carbuncle — The prophetic pictures — Dr. Heidegger's experiment — Lady Eleanore's mantle — Old Esther Dudley — The ambitious guest — The white old maid — Peter Goldthwaite's treasure — Endicott and the Red Cross — The birthmark — Young Goodman Brown — Rappaccini's daughter — The celestial railroad — Feathertop, a moralized legend — Egotism, or, The bosom serpent — The Christmas banquet — Drowne's wooden image — Earth's holocaust — The artist of the beautiful — The great stone face — Ethan Brand — The wives of the dead — The antique ring — Alice Doane's appeal.