Short stories have always been a sort of instant access into an author’s brain, their soul and heart. A few pages can lift our lives into locations, people and experiences with a sweep of landscape, narration, feelings and emotions that is difficult to achieve elsewhere.

In this series we try to offer up tried and trusted ‘Top Tens’ across many different themes and authors. But any anthology will immediately throw up the questions – Why that story? Why that author?

The theme itself will form the boundaries for our stories which range from well-known classics, newly told, to stories that modern times have overlooked but perfectly exemplify the theme. Throughout the volume our authors whether of instant recognition or new to you are all leviathans of literature.

Some you may disagree with but they will get you thinking; about our choices and about those you would have made. If this volume takes you on a path to discover more of these miniature masterpieces then we have all gained something.

As we all too easily recognise life continues to be difficult for many women. For the African American women authors of these stories, life was hard, bitter, and a weight on the soul that tested both heart and faith. However, these stories, many of which are grueling and difficult, so ignite the spark within all of us that hope and the ability to deal with terrible injustice can at times produce some small good. In these stories we find that spark. Grace, nobility and the weight of history stride with them.