A Chosen Few: Short Stories

"A Chosen Few: Short Stories" by Frank R. Stockton is a collection of short stories written in the late 19th century that presents a selection of the author's most celebrated works, chosen through a unique literary selection method; within this collection, the stories explore numerous themes, often highlighting intriguing characters dealing with strange circumstances, which includes stories of scientific questions, social problems, and human feelings. This is exemplified in “A Tale of Negative Gravity,” which introduces a middle-aged American couple relaxing in Italy as an inventor reveals his "negative gravity" machine, capable of decreasing weight; as the couple considers the consequence of this invention, they contemplate personal fulfillment against what society wants, setting the stage for a series of fascinating and creative tales.