Atlantic Narratives: Modern Short Stories

Known for a vivid memoir published after her death, this American writer turned a childhood marked by illness into a book remembered for its wit, courage, and sharp eye for everyday life. Her story is closely tied to coastal Maine, where she found independence and the setting that shaped her best-known work.

Henry Seidel Canby

1878–1961

A lively champion of American literature, this critic and editor helped bring serious writing to a broad audience. He moved easily between the classroom, the magazine world, and the growing public conversation about books.

A Vassar-educated journalist and fiction writer, she moved easily between newspapers, magazines, and books, bringing a sharp eye for character to stories, essays, and even an early scientific detective tale. Her work appeared in outlets like The Atlantic, and her books range from literary short fiction to thoughtful social commentary.

Charles Caldwell Dobie

1881–1943

A lifelong San Franciscan, this early 20th-century novelist and historian wrote with a deep feel for California life and the city he knew best. His fiction and nonfiction often return to San Francisco, from its neighborhoods and legends to its Chinatown and literary culture.

Madeleine Z. (Madeleine Zabriskie) Doty

1877–1963

A pioneering lawyer turned journalist, she wrote with unusual courage about prisons, war, and women's lives. Her work joined sharp reporting with a deep commitment to civil liberties and peace.

Born in Constantinople and shaped by years in diplomacy, this American writer turned first-hand experience of the Middle East into vivid fiction and travel writing. His stories and essays move easily between literary craft, history, and life between cultures.

John Galsworthy

1867–1933

Best known for The Forsyte Saga, he wrote sharp, humane fiction and drama about family, money, class, and the pressures of modern life. His clear storytelling and social conscience helped make him one of the most widely read English writers of his time.

A sharp, elegant voice in early 20th-century American letters, this writer built a reputation through finely made short stories and essays that appeared in major magazines. Her work blends polished style with keen observations about manners, ideas, and everyday contradictions.

Zephine Humphrey

1874–1956

A warm, reflective writer of Vermont life, she published fiction and essays that found beauty in everyday places and quiet moral questions. Her work blends regional charm with a thoughtful, observant voice.

A little-known American short story writer, she published widely in major magazines during the 1910s and left behind work admired for its delicacy and emotional insight. Her best-known story, Little Selves, earned lasting attention well beyond her brief writing career.

An early 20th-century short-story writer whose work appeared alongside many notable contributors in Atlantic Narratives: Modern Short Stories. Little biographical information seems to survive, which gives the name a quiet air of mystery.

E. V. (Edward Verrall) Lucas

1868–1938

Best remembered for his warm, witty essays and literary portraits, this prolific English writer brought everyday life, travel, and books to the page with an easy charm. He also became an important editor and biographer, especially through his work on Charles Lamb.

Best known as Margaret Lynn, this British writer crafted atmospheric suspense and crime novels with a strong gothic edge. Her books from the 1960s and early 1970s are remembered for uneasy settings, hidden identities, and the slow build of danger.

Known today mostly through a small handful of surviving works, this writer seems to belong to the late 19th and early 20th century world of short fiction. The record is sparse, which gives the stories an extra air of mystery.

A gifted early-20th-century storyteller, she brought the people and landscapes of the southern mountains vividly to life. Her fiction was widely read in magazines and books, and several of her novels later reached the screen.

E. (Edith) Nesbit

1858–1924

Best known for The Railway Children and the magical adventures of Five Children and It, this pioneering English writer helped reshape children's fiction by mixing everyday family life with wit, warmth, and wonder. Her stories still feel lively and modern, with children who sound and act like real kids.

Anne Douglas Sedgwick

1873–1935

An American-born British novelist, she built her fiction around the tensions and misunderstandings between Europe and America. Her books mix social observation with a sharp eye for character, which helped make several of them best sellers in the early 20th century.

Dallas Lore Sharp

1870–1929

A warm, observant nature writer and teacher, he brought birds, fields, woods, and changing seasons close to everyday readers. His books celebrate the life just beyond the doorstep rather than far-off wilderness.

Margaret Pollock Sherwood

1864–1955

A longtime Wellesley College professor, she wrote fiction, poetry, and essays with a strong interest in ideas, education, and social questions. Her work moved between campus life and imaginative storytelling, making her an intriguing voice in early 20th-century American literature.

Best known for the short story "The Clearer Sight," this early 20th-century writer appeared in the pages of The Atlantic and later in the anthology Atlantic Narratives: Modern Short Stories. Only a small amount of biographical information is readily documented, which gives the work an added air of mystery.

A writer of lively children's stories, she drew on family life, social work, and sharp observation to create books full of spirited young characters. Her work also reached magazines, and one of her Vassar songs became the college's official alma mater.

Best remembered today for the story collection Mr. Squem and Some Male Triangles, he was an early-20th-century writer whose work also appeared in Atlantic Narratives: Modern Short Stories. The surviving record is slim, which gives his fiction a slightly hidden, rediscovered feel.