Can you recommend some from top best short stories?

Sure. 'The Gift of the Magi' by O. Henry is a great one. It tells the story of a young couple who sacrifice their most precious possessions to buy gifts for each other. Another is 'The Lottery' by Shirley Jackson, which is a thought - provoking tale about a small town's annual lottery with a dark twist.

Sure. 'The Gift of the Magi' is one of the great ones in the top 20 short stories. It tells a beautiful story about a young couple sacrificing their most precious possessions for each other.

Sure. 'The Happy Prince' by Oscar Wilde is a great one. It's a story full of heart and moral lessons. Also, 'Rip Van Winkle' by Washington Irving is quite famous, which tells an interesting story about a man who sleeps for a long time and wakes up to a different world.

Sure. 'The Gift of the Magi' is a great choice for beginners. It's easy to understand and has a very touching and simple message about love and sacrifice. The plot is straightforward and the characters are relatable.

Sure. 'The Gift of the Magi' is often on top lists. It's a beautiful story about a young couple sacrificing for each other. Jim sells his watch to buy combs for his wife, while Della sells her long hair to buy a chain for Jim's watch.

Sure. One of the great short stories from there might be 'The Little Match Girl'. It's a very touching story about a poor girl on a cold night. She lights matchsticks to see visions of warmth and kindness, but in the end, she freezes to death. It shows the harsh reality of poverty in a very poignant way.

There's also 'The Yellow Wallpaper'. A woman is confined to a room with yellow wallpaper for her 'nervous condition'. As she stares at the wallpaper more and more, she descends into madness, seeing strange figures and patterns. The slow build - up of her insanity is quite disturbing.

Sure. 'The Drover's Wife' by Henry Lawson is a classic in Australian short stories. It vividly depicts the harsh outback life of a woman waiting for her husband to return.

Well, from 'top 100 horror short stories', 'The Masque of the Red Death' is a must - read. It shows the inevitability of death even in the face of those who try to escape it through seclusion and revelry. Then there's 'The Cask of Amontillado' where the narrator lures his so - called friend into the catacombs for a most dreadful revenge. Oh, and 'The Black Cat' is also very good, with the narrator's deteriorating mental state and his relationship with the cat leading to some truly horrifying events.

One of the well - known ones is 'The Tell - Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe. It's a story about a man who is driven mad by the old man's vulture - like eye and ends up killing him. Another great one could be 'The Monkey's Paw' where a family makes wishes on a cursed paw with terrifying consequences.