The Stories of Harlan Ellison
The best short stories by American writer Harlan Ellison. Complete stories ready to read online or print as PDF files.
United States
Harlan Ellison: All the Sounds of Fear
“All the Sounds of Fear” is a short story by Harlan Ellison, published in 1962 in the collection Ellison Wonderland. It recounts the extraordinary career of the actor Richard Becker, who develops a revolutionary acting technique based on total immersion in his characters—living them in reality in order to achieve absolute authenticity on stage. Over the course of twenty-four years, Becker conquers Broadway with legendary characterizations, turning down offers from Hollywood because he believes his art requires the reality of the theater. However, his extreme dedication to assuming other identities drags him toward a breaking point where the line between actor and character fades away irretrievably.
H. P. Lovecraft: The Tomb
“The Tomb,” a psychological horror story by H.P. Lovecraft, published in 1922, immerses us in the disturbing story of Jervas Dudley, a young man obsessed with an ancient family mausoleum. Narrated in the first person, the story offers a disturbing journey through the disturbed mind of Dudley, who claims to have established a supernatural connection with the ancient occupants of the tomb. As the story progresses, the line between the protagonist’s delusions and supernatural events becomes blurred, leaving the reader in a state of uncertainty about the veracity of the events narrated.
Ray Bradbury: Jack-in-the-Box. Summary and Analysis
Edwin is a thirteen-year-old boy who has spent his entire life confined within a vast mansion. His mother has taught him that the outside world is inhabited by deadly “Beasts” that killed his father, and that leaving the house is tantamount to dying. The house functions as a complete universe divided into territories Edwin crosses daily to attend school, where he is taught by a mysterious teacher who wears a hooded robe and glasses, so that her face cannot be seen. One day, Edwin discovers an open door that leads to a tower from which he sees the outside world for the first time. Shortly afterward, after celebrating his birthday, he finds his mother unconscious in the Parlor. He looks for his teacher, but all he finds is her robe, her glasses, and her makeup. With no one to stop him, Edwin goes through the garden, crosses the iron gate, and steps into the real world, shouting with joy that he is dead—since that is the only word he knows to describe the outside.
Flannery O’Connor: A Good Man Is Hard to Find
“A Good Man Is Hard to Find” is a short story by Flannery O’Connor, published in 1953. A family from the southern United States embarks on a vacation trip to Florida. During the trip, the grandmother entertains her grandchildren with stories from her youth. Captivated, the children insist on taking a detour to visit an old plantation that their grandmother mentions in her stories. Despite the father’s resistance, he finally gives in to family pressure and takes a rural road suggested by his mother. This seemingly innocuous decision will lead the group to an unexpected encounter with destiny.
Edgar Allan Poe: Morella
“Morella” is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe, published in April 1835 in the Southern Literary Messenger. A man marries Morella, a woman of great erudition and a marked inclination toward metaphysics and mystical knowledge. Although he initially feels deeply attached to her, over time he experiences a growing detachment and an inexplicable aversion toward his wife, a feeling that intensifies as she languishes and her presence becomes increasingly disturbing.