"A Bottle of Milk for Mother." Nelson Algren.

Review: A Polish tough kid has been busted for killing a man whom he had robbed. He tries to maintain his toughness before the tough cops who are interrogating him, but every once in a while his tough façade cracks. Seems he has killed a man with a wife and children. He has a past in sports, boxing and baseball. He had gone to a Catholic school and tries to hide his belief in God.

All of a sudden, no one cares about his tough attitude. His sense of self-importance is shattered. His final words in his cell, “ ‘I knew I’d never get to be twenty-one anyhow,’ Lefty told himself softly at last.”

Short Story Masterpieces. Ed. RP Warren and A Erskine. New York: Dell Books. 1954.

"Impulse." Conrad Aiken.

Review: In fun, over his weekly card game and a few drinks, Michael’s friends tell about the impulse to steal something from a store. Michael offers to do it. Just for fun. On a bet.

He’s caught and his life is ruined. Everyone turns on him. His wife files for divorce. His friends will not vouch for the bet, fearing the publicity will cost them their jobs. He is left thinking of the little things that had happened to him as a child when life had been cheerful and bright.

Short Story Masterpieces. Ed. RP Warren and A Erskine. New York: Dell Books. 1954.

"The Walker-Through Walls." Marcel Ayme.

Review: A man discovers he can walk through walls. Then he discovers he can make all sorts of mischief by doing so. He bedevils the police when they try to constrain him in jail cells and even the governor. One day he discovers a beautiful blonde who is being held captive for love. He penetrates the walls of her captivity for two glorious nights of love. On his return the second night of his enchanting relationship, he encounters resistance in the walls and can not make it through the final wall where he is entombed to this day.

Great French Short Stories. Germaine Brée. New York: Dell Publishing Co., Inc. 1960.

"The Guest." Albert Camus.

Review: “The guest” is an Arab being turned over to the authorities by a policeman from the town below. He has been brought to the isolated school house over difficult terrain in the winter. The schoolmaster has been ordered to continue to take the Arab, who has killed his cousin, to the town where the authorities will hang him.

The teacher says he will not turn him over to the authorities. Balducci, the policeman, says he must, but Daru, the school master says he will not. After the policeman leaves, Daru takes the Arab, with food and money he has given him, and offers the Arab his choice. In one direction are the authorities. In the other direction lies the Arab’s freedom. Daru leaves. Returns to find the Arab going in the direction of the authorities.

When he returns to the school house, Daru finds inscribed on the blackboard, the words, “You handed over our brother. You will pay for this.” The inscrutability of this illogical, absurd world.

Great French Short Stories. Germaine Brée. New York: Dell Publishing Co., Inc. 1960.

"The Room." Jean-Paul Sartre.

Review: Her husband of three years is sinking into dementia. His wife is filled with fear at the signs of it. She tries to identify with his condition. She loves him very much, but he is moving farther and farther away from her and reality.

“But the anguish did not leave her: a year; a winter; a springtime; a summer, the beginning of another autumn. One day his features would grow confused, his jaw would hang loose, he would half open his weeping eyes. Eve bent over Pierre’s hand and pressed her lips against it. I’ll kill you before that.”

Great French Short Stories. Germaine Brée. New York: Dell Publishing Co., Inc. 1960.

"The Child of the High Seas." Jules Supervielle

Review: An island in the deep sea. An uninhabited village. A lone child of twelve lives there. All alone. When ships come within sight of the island, the child disappears. No one has seen the island. The child of twelve lives there in the abandoned town. She learns there. She studies her grammar book there.

One day a tugboat goes right through the island, but the tugboat is not aware that it is crossing the island. The child tries to call “Help” but cannot. A wave tries to bring the mercy of death to her, but it cannot kill her.

That is because a sailor remembering his own twelve-year-old daughter whom he had lost has imagined her and the village in the sea and has given life to this imaginary child and town in the middle of the sea.

Great French Short Stories. Germaine Brée. New York: Dell Publishing Co., Inc. 1960.

"The Little Bouilloux Girl." Collette.

Review: The story of a girl isolated by her beauty. No one ever meets her expectations.

Great French Short Stories. Germaine Brée. New York: Dell Publishing Co., Inc. 1960.