In this six-week online course, explore the short story as we delve into The Best American Short Stories of the Century, selected by John Updike. This session, we will concentrate on stories from the beginning decades of the last century by both well-known and less-remembered writers. Participants read the stories in advance. then we discuss them within the context of their time, investigating themes such as immigration, race, social progress, and individuality. There is no prerequisite.