Thirty Strange Stories — H.G. Wells

Originally published in 1897, Thirty Strange Stories contains such well-known stories as “The Triumphs of a Taxidermist,” about the outrageous exploits, both authentic and fraudulent, of a taxidermist, who then reappears in “A Deal of Ostriches,” a tale of a con man's exploitation of human greed after one of five ostriches swallows a precious diamond. Also included are “The Stolen Bacillus” about an anarchist who plans to release what he believes is a cholera bacillus into London's water supply, and “The Red Room,” the horrifying story of a man trapped in a haunted room, but haunted by what?  With twenty-six more stories besides, this is a must-have for any fan of Wells's short fiction.