We all know that there are some very famous novels that are timeless. Their popularity does not diminish over the years, even as new stories come out. They include titles like, “Gone with the Wind”, “Pride and Prejudice”, “Great Expectations”, and “War and Peace”. These novels have made an impact that will never fade away for one reason or another. What you may not realize is that there are stories that are short stories that have achieved the same noteworthiness. Did you know what some of the most famous short stories are?

The Gift of the Magi

This story was written in 1905 by O. Henry. It holds the title of being one of the most famous titles in short story history. It is a story about a very young couple that cannot afford to buy gifts for one another at Christmas and find other ways to celebrate.

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

If you like stories that are suspenseful and written many years ago, you will love this book by Ambrose Bierce in 1890-1891. It is about a man, named Petyon Farquhar who was captured by enemy troops during the civil war. At the very first of the book, he is about to be hanged on an old railroad bridge, but then something happens to make his fate very different.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Perhaps one of the most well-known short stories is the Legend of Sleepy Hollow. This is a book written in 1820 by Washington Irving. It is an early American classic. It is a scary short story that is perfect for Halloween story time and perhaps one of the few short stories that everyone knows about, even if they do not know where it got its start.