The Lady Or The Tiger by Frank Stockton.
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That's a classic.

I read a pretty good modern one yesterday. It was "If You Take My Hand, My Son" by Mort Castle. Kind of obscure but definitely worth a read.
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Can't really pick single stories.

Poe has about 5 I'd put up with the best. Probably Telltale Heart at the top, maybe Cask of Amontillado.
Fitzgerald has 3-4, though I think Diamond as Big as the Ritz is his pride and joy.
Bradbury and Asimov have countless great works. I read both of their anthologies at least 10x apiece growing up.
Mark Twain as well, more relaxed summery reading
And finally King/Bachman, not towering art but eminently readable stuff.

Do the Greek and Roman myths count? Read those almost as much as Asimov.
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Count of Monte Cristo?

My favorite Poe stories:

The Cask of Amontillado
The Masque of the Red Death
The Tell-Tale Heart
The Black Cat
Hop-Frog

Favorite Asimov:

The Last Question

Favorite Bradbury:

The Emissary

Bradbury's stuff has been adapted countless times. Oddly enough I think the adaptations were frequently superior to the source material.

Favorite King:

The End of the Whole Mess
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Fixed. Jeez, it's been 25 years or more.
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It is hard for me to nail down a favorite Poe story, but if forced to choose one I would probably say The Pit and The Pendulum.

In the fun category I’ll toss in O. Henry’s The Ransom of Red Chief.
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Queen of the Black Coast, Gods of the North - R.E.Howard
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Hemingway's The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber
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As a kid and hell, even as an adult its always been Where the Wild Things Are. Thought the film was pretty good too (directed by Spike Jonze).
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For Sale: Baby Shoes Never Worn

6 word story ..Hemmingway gets credit but variations of it existed before him
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Kurt Vonnegut's "Harrison Bergeron" has always been one of my favorites.
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Favorite O. Henry story: The Last Leaf. Yeah, it's sappy but I like it.





I think that's his best, too.




That's a good one. I also really like his story EPICAC.
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From King's Nightshift

The Ledge
Quitter's Inc.
I Am The Doorway
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I've read all of King's short stories. From them, the two that are neck-and-neck for my favorite are The Raft and The Jaunt.

Both of them don't seem overly terrifying at first, but the more you consider the situation the more horrific it becomes.
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