Propose some short stories one must read?

I would have to kindly agree with many people who already posted. Rather than suggesting stories (the list would extend beyond my attention span :p), I will suggest authors instead, in no special order, of course: O. Henry, Mark Twain, D.H. Lawrence, Oscar Wilde, Guy de Maupassant, Henry James, Flannery O'Connor, J.D. Salinger (especially his Nine Stories), Ernest Hemingway, Amy Tan, Franz Kafa, Edgar Allan Poe, Ambrose Bierce, Henry David Thoreau, Leo Tolstoy, and Zora Neale Hurston.
Additionally, I would like to add Fyodor Dostoevksy, but have yet to read any of his short stories, focusing more on his novels. Nonetheless, finding his novels enthralling, to say the least, as he lists among some of my favorite authors, I have no doubt in the superiority of his short stories, too. ;)
Happy reading!

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Originally Posted by mono

Additionally, I would like to add Fyodor Dostoevksy, but have yet to read any of his short stories, focusing more on his novels. Nonetheless, finding his novels enthralling, to say the least, as he lists among some of my favorite authors, I have no doubt in the superiority of his short stories, too. ;)
Happy reading!

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He does have some amazing short stories, my favorites being The Gambler, The Eternal Husband, The Meek One and Poor Folk. House of the Dead is also a fascinating story influenced by Dostoevsky's time in a Siberian prison but I don't know if it's considered a short story or a novel. I would highly recommend any or all of those stories.

Chekhov was already mentioned, but again his short stories are amazing. I would also recommend Bulgakov's "Heart of a dog"- it's something in between a short story and a novel. Andre Maurois's short stories are very interesting. Zweig's stories about the famous people are definitely worth reading.

"The Chamber"- C. R. Brown

If youre looking for a really, really short read:
"The Nightingale and the Rose" by Oscar Wilde,
"The Train from Rhodesia" by Nadine Gordimer,
"The Gold-Legged Frog" by Khamsing Srinawk,
"The Red Ball" by Ismith Khan and
"The Winter Oak" by Yuri Nagibin.

All of these stories really are short, I mean a few pages. But although theyre really short they are all enjoyable.

well for really short stories, Hardy's collection of Life's little ironies are a lovely read