The short story. The reality of artifice

Charles May begins by reaching back to Boccaccio and Cervantes to find the short story´s roots, then turns his focus to the 19th century, when the short story in what we recognize as its modern form began. He then moves on to the 20th century, during which it grew into maturity as a literary form with full integrity. Along the way, May not only discusses important writers but identifies important trends and movements.