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 volume English women have begun the long haul to be treated as equals, even though some see others as beneath them. Class still has its boundaries and its distinctions. Our authors show that the decade brings much to revel in but also much to worry our hearts.

01 - The Top 10 - The 1920's - The English - The Women - An Introduction

02 - The String Quartet by Virginia Woolf

03 - Miss Ogilivy Finds Herself by Radclyffe Hall

04 - Her Murderer by Mary Cholmondeley

05 - Hodge by Elinor Mordaunt

06 - Blessed Are the Meek by Mary Webb

07 - Young Magic by Helen Simpson

08 - Sylvia by Bessie Kyffin-Taylor.wav

09 - The Black Crusader by Alicia Ramsay

10 - Decay by Marjorie Bowen

11 - The Night of No Weather by Violet Hunt