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.

In this decade the equality of the sexes is now law. In real life it's patchy. Power refuses to ebb or cede. In literary terms though women are again second to none with writing that strides confidently forward addressing the issues, the characters and the stories in unique and individual ways.

1 - The Top 10 - The Women - The 1920's - An Introduction

2 - The Garden Party by Katherine Mansfield

3 - An Unwritten Novel by Virginia Woolf

4 - Miss Ogilivy Finds Herself by Radclyffe Hall

5 - The Difference by Ellen Glasgow

6 - The Black Crusader by Alicia Ramsay

7 - Blessed Are the Meek by Mary Webb

8 - Rhapsody by Dorothy Edwards

9 - Young Magic by Helen Simpson

10 - The Inspired 'Busman by Elinor Mordaunt

11 - Her Murderer by Mary Cholmonderly