An escaped slave writes angrily to his former master, a famous humorist fondly recalls the devilish pranks of his mother, a lonely bachelor makes an unpleasant discovery in the attic, and a pushy yet nervous peddler shows up during a thunderstorm — these were among our top 10 most popular Story of the Week selections for 2015. Click on the highlighted title and author name in the list below to read any of the stories.
#1. “Letter to His Old Master,” Frederick Douglass
On the tenth anniversary of his escape from slavery, Frederick Douglass published an open letter to the man who formerly owned him.
#2. “The White Silence,” Jack London
In the dead of winter, three companions and their dog team rush back to civilization in the Klondike—when disaster strikes.
#3. “How to Cure a Cold,” Mark Twain
Suffering from the common cold, the writer is offered a variety of possible remedies—and desperately decides to try all of them.
#4. “Lavender with a Difference,” James Thurber
Thurber lovingly portrays his mother, a notably eccentric figure in Columbus, Ohio, who was well known for her elaborate practical jokes.
#5. “Kate’s Choice,” Louisa May Alcott
A recently orphaned girl, newly arrived from England, visits her American cousins to decide where she will spend the rest of her childhood.
#6. “The Actual Thing,” William Maxwell
A bachelor in his late fifties, living with his sister’s family, comes upon an unpleasant discovery among some old books in the attic.
#7. “The Lightning-Rod Man,” Herman Melville
In a darkly comic tale, a gloomy and timorous peddler shows up on the narrator’s doorstep during a terrific thunderstorm.
#8. “Letter from the Dust Bowl,” Caroline Henderson
An Oklahoma farmer describes the horror of persistent drought and recurrent windstorms—and explains why she has chosen to stay.
#9. “The Fulness of Life,” Edith Wharton
Having spent her life merely “fond” of her husband, a woman dies and the Spirit of Life offers her an alternative for eternity.
#10. “In Dark New England Days,” Sarah Orne Jewett
The tyrannical father of two elderly sisters dies, leaving behind a mysterious chest long believed to be filled with the family riches.
