"A Presentiment" by William Dean Howells — Review

"A Presentiment" by William Dean Howells is a clever story that feels like a ghost story but ends with a smart, logical twist. It starts with a husband and wife ready to leave for a trip. Suddenly, the wife is struck by a powerful feeling of doom, convinced their train will crash. Her fear is so strong that her practical husband agrees to delay their trip for a day—and they later discover their original train did indeed crash. 

The real genius of the story is its ending, where Howells explains the "miracle." The wife’s premonition wasn't magical at all. It came from her subconscious mind reacting to a late-delivered telegram she held but didn't read; the bad news in the message made her feel dread. This twist isn't disappointing but satisfying, as it turns the story into an exploration of how our brains work. It shows how intuition can be our subconscious picking up on real clues, not a supernatural force.

Here is the text of the story:
https://short-stories.co/@m.r.james/the-residence-at-whitminster-e0kl1d680lxp

Forgotten Dreams by Stefan Zweig —- Review

"Forgotten Dreams" by Stefan Zweig is a masterfully crafted gem of psychological insight that delves deep into the quiet tragedies of choice and self-deception. Set against a backdrop of shimmering, almost oppressive beauty, the story uses the contrast between the luxurious villa and the stark conversation within it to explore the gap between illusion and reality. 

Zweig's signature precision is evident in every detail, from the calculated elegance of the heroine to the symbolic key that unlocks not a door, but a buried truth. The plot's power lies not in dramatic action, but in the devastating weight of a single, quiet admission: the revelation that the protagonist's seemingly romantic youthful dreams were, in fact, mercenary desires for material splendor. This moment of confession becomes a profound exploration of identity, asking whether we are shaped by our ideals or by our most concealed, and perhaps less noble, longings.

Here is the link to the text of the story:
https://www.prosperosisle.org/spip.php?article1186

"A Woman without Prejudice" by Anton Chekhov — Review

Chekhov’s “A Woman without Prejudice” is a masterfully ironic study of social anxiety and the absurdity of self-imposed shame. The story follows the hulking, seemingly invincible Maxim Salyutov, a man of extraordinary physical strength who is utterly crippled by the fear that his modest, non-noble past—specifically, having worked as a circus performer—will disgust his beloved Elena (Lelya) and ruin his marriage prospects. 

The central comedy and pathos arise from the drastic disconnect between Salyutov’s towering physique and his shriveled sense of self-worth, a contradiction Chekhov highlights with surgical precision. Salyutov’s torment, fueled by a blackmailing “friend,” portrays the psychological tyranny of imagined social judgment, revealing how internalized class prejudices can be more destructive than any external rejection.

Here is the link to the text of the story:
https://www.prosperosisle.org/spip.php?article1157#Woman

The Seventh Voyage by Stanisław Lem — Review

"The Seventh Voyage" is a funny and clever story about a space traveler named Ijon Tichy. He gets stuck in a weird time loop during a space mission. Strange things start happening, like meeting multiple versions of himself from different moments in time. The story shows him trying to fix his broken ship while dealing with these confusing doubles, leading to chaotic and hilarious situations. It’s not really about aliens or lasers; it’s a puzzle about time, identity, and how messy reality can become.

The charm of the story is in how Lem uses this silly situation to make you think. Even though the events are absurd, they make you wonder about bigger ideas. If you met yourself, would you agree? Who is really in charge? The story feels like a playful brain game.

Here is the link to the text of the story:

https://english.lem.pl/works/novels/the-star-diaries/154-the-seventh-voyage

"Andy Page's Rival" by Henry Lawson — review

This is a meaningful story about friendship and kindness. Andy Page is a clumsy but good-hearted man who works in a logging camp. He worries when a new worker, Jack Drew, arrives because Jack is smart, skilled, and popular. Andy feels like he has a rival in everything, especially in impressing the girl - camp cook. But when Andy gets into trouble with a wild bull, Jack helps him in a clever way. 

In the end, the two men become friends instead of rivals. Jack Drew realizes that Andy’s honesty and warm heart are just as important as his own intelligence. 

Here is the link to the text of the story:

https://www.telelib.com/authors/L/LawsonHenry/prose/onthetrack/andypagerival.html

The Big Trip Up Yonder by Kurt Vonnegut — Review

This story paints a darkly funny but depressing picture of the future. Thanks to an anti-aging medicine, people live forever, leading to a terribly overcrowded world. We see this through a family crammed into a tiny apartment, all forced to serve their healthy, 100-year-old grandfather. 

The story's main idea isn't about exciting technology, but about how this "gift" of long life has ruined society, making life a boring and miserable waiting game where young people have no future.

Here is tge link to the text of the story:

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/30240

Night Watches by W. W. Jacobs — Review

"Night Watches" is a funy and easy-to-read story about a married couple living on a boat. The wife is always criticizing her lazy husband, the captain. One night, she hears a noise and forces her scared husband to go outside in the dark to check for thieves. 

The story shows the silly but relatable arguments between a husband and wife, where the man tries to avoid trouble but always ends up in a worse situation because of his wife's nagging.

Here is the link to the text of the story:

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/12161