Been reading the Tales of H.P Lovecraft compilation and experiencing some of these stories for the first time is a blast. Progress has been shackled by the fact that I only read it at night (and I usually start pretty late), but I'm now more than halfway through and have already been blown away by stories like The Music of Erich Zann, The Dunwich Horror, The Rats in the Wall and The Call of Cthulu.

Anyhoo, this has probably been covered in the Now Reading thread, but my memory fails me. Any other short stories that are mandatory reading, horror or otherwise?

Oh boy where do I start! This is a GREAT topic. Extra credit for people who actually post links for/excerpts from their favourite short stories. To kick things off

First read The Yellow Wallpaper one of the most subtly terrifying stories I've ever read. Also one of China Mieville's favourites.

Then read this. Charlotte Perkins Gillman tells you about the origins of and the reasons for writing The Yellow Wallpaper.

not read a lot but Edgar Allan Poe's Black Cat was a great read.

I can't find an e-text download for it but "Silent Snow, Secret Snow" by Conrad Aiken is one of the most tragic and scary stories I've read. It's basically the story of a boy who is retreating more and more into his own world, a dream world of snow and happiness, and refuses to acknowledge the real world after a point.

I'll just mention a few off the top of my head:

The Whimper of Whipped Dogs by Harlan Ellison
I ran into this after the longest time in a Dark Descent compilation, while I was vacationing in NY city a couple of years ago. NY is of course the locale for the story, and reading it in the July heat struck all sorts of chords. Classic tale of urban alienation, it has an ending I had committed to memory at one time, but can only paraphrase now: "When man loses all touch with himself and his fellow creatures, violence becomes a demoniacal necessity, the only means possible of reestablishing contact."

Dread by Clive Barker
Books of Blood story, this has a particularly repulsive scene involving a chick and an underdone piece of cooking.

The Case of Charles Dexter Ward by Lovecraft
In many ways, this is my favourite Lovecraft story. Unbeatable atmosphere and creepiness. A bit on the longer side though, from what I remember.

Schalken The Painter by Sheridan Le Fanu & Casting The Runes/"Oh, Whistle And I'll Come To Ye, My Lad!" by M.R. James
I've grown up with these stories. My dad was a big fan of Victorian horror, and a great storyteller too. I've read them many times over the years, and they still have unrivalled, slow-burning atmosphere and impact in their less-is-more philosophy.

Agree @ Whimper of Whipped Dogs. Ramsey Campbell (I think) recalls having called the story "Whipper of Whipped Dogs" at some horror convention only to have Ellison (who was in the audience) throw a chalk at him.

A few more all time favourite stories. Pollock and the Porroh Man, the Lord of the Dynamos, Filmer and The Door In the Wall. While the first are great examples of HG Wells at his horrific best. Filmer and the door In The Wall defy description. The site features pretty much all the major Wells shorts so knock yourselves out.

Another that's harder to find online (though I am sure its there SOMEWHERE) is Calcutta: Lord of Nerves by Poppy Z Brite. All you need to know about this story is that it is about a zombie epidemic in Calcutta and it is the BEST thing that Brite who is a bit of a hack has EVER written. Some of the sequences are fantastic not just because they make your flesh crawl but because of the sheer imagination that drives them - like her description of the water logged bodies of people who've committed suicide or drowned in the Hooghly crawling on to the shore and disintegrating. What's astounding is the story (which evokes the city spectacularly well) was written based on Dan Simmons Song of Kali and Geoffrey Moorhouse's Calcutta - Brite says she didn't visit the city at all.

GoreD wrote:

Dread by Clive Barker
Books of Blood story, this has a particularly repulsive scene involving a chick and an underdone piece of cooking.
Seconded.

The first thing that came to mind when I saw this topic was Neil Gaiman's Other People and A Study In Emerald from the Fragile Things collection of stories. Other People, in just 4 pages, describes the timeless cycle of suffering in Hell. A Study In Emerald is Sherlock Holmes and co. meet the Great Old Ones. Awesome.

Also, I really enjoy Roald Dahl's short stories - The Bookseller, Skin, Lamb To The Slaughter, The Sound Machine - all excellent fare. Any fans?

HathyaSaiBaba wrote:
First read The Yellow Wallpaper one of the most subtly terrifying stories I've ever read. Also one of China Mieville's favourites.

Then read this. Charlotte Perkins Gillman tells you about the origins of and the reasons for writing The Yellow Wallpaper.
Oh that was quite great. Finally allocated time to start going through the entries on the thread last night. I can well imagine it's a favourite of Mieville - his story Details seems to take a bit of inspiration from here.

On my own front, going through the grim and frostbitten At the Mountains of Madness at the moment. Thumping stuff. Apparently, a movie version is currently in development, being spearheaded by Guillermo Del Toro.

Del Toro has been jawing off since almost a decade about doing ATMoM. Can't say I'm too anxious to see it.