Short stories | Lecturia

Nathaniel Hawthorne: Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment

“Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment” is a short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne, first published in Knickerbocker Magazine in January 1837 and later included in Twice-Told Tales (1837). It tells of the eccentric Dr. Heidegger, who invites four elderly friends—once distinguished by wealth, beauty, power, and pleasure but now broken by time and misfortune—into his mysterious study. Amid dusty tomes, strange relics, and the portrait of his lost fiancée, the doctor proposes a peculiar experiment involving a liquid said to flow from the legendary Fountain of Youth.

Samanta Schweblin: Preserves

“Preserves” is a short story by Samanta Schweblin, published in 2008 in the anthology La furia de las pestes. The story follows a young woman facing an unplanned pregnancy that disrupts her plans, her routine, her relationship, and the family’s sense of calm. As her body changes, she experiences growing anxiety, insomnia, and a feeling of losing control. Together with her partner, they explore various alternatives: obstetricians, healers, a midwife, and a shaman. Eventually, they meet Dr. Weisman, whose proposal seems to offer a definitive solution to their problems.

Joanna Russ: When It Changed

Joanna Russ - Cuando las cosas cambiaron

“When It Changed” is a science fiction short story by Joanna Russ, published in 1972 in the anthology Again, Dangerous Visions and awarded the Nebula Prize in 1973. Set on the planet Whileaway, where women have lived without men for centuries, the story follows Janet and her wife, Katy, as they confront the unexpected arrival of a group of men from Earth. Through Janet’s perspective, the narrative explores everyday life in an all-female society and the unease caused by the newcomers, whose attitudes reflect a profoundly different worldview.

Philip K. Dick: The Pre-Persons

“The Pre-Persons” is a controversial short story by Philip K. Dick, published in October 1974 in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. Set in a dystopian future where abortion is legal up to the age of twelve, a boy flees when he sees the truck that collects unwanted children to take them to a state institution, where an algebra test determines whether or not they have a “soul.” Although his mother tries to calm him with legal arguments, the fear persists. In this tale, Dick presents a disturbing premise where the right to life and human dignity are subjected to bureaucratic and arbitrary criteria.

Arthur C. Clarke: The Forgotten Enemy

“The Forgotten Enemy” is a short story by Arthur C. Clarke, published in December 1948 in King’s College Review. In a post-apocalyptic world covered in snow and ice, Professor Millward lives in isolation in a deserted London, surrounded by the books he has preserved for years. One night, a mysterious sound coming from the north interrupts the stillness and awakens in him the hope that there might be other human beings returning. Millward ventures into the abandoned city and tries to discover the origin of the noises, while confronting his solitude and the dangers of a hostile environment.

Mary Shelley: The Brother and Sister

“The Brother and Sister: An Italian Story” is a short story by Mary Shelley, first published in 1832 in The Keepsake and later included in the collection “Tales and Stories” (1891). Set in medieval Siena, it tells the story of Lorenzo and Flora Mancini, two young siblings marked by exile, family ruin, and the enmity between rival clans. Orphaned and impoverished, they decide to return to their native city to restore their fortune and reclaim their lost honor. There, Lorenzo must face the young Count Fabian Tolomei; however, a twist of fate leads to a new misfortune, forcing him to entrust the care of his beloved sister to the hands of their enemies.