Henri René Albert Guy de Maupassant (1850 – 1893) was a popular 19th-century French writer, considered one of the fathers of the modern short story and arguably the world's best short story writer. Maupassant's stories are characterized by their clever plots, clear style and surprise endings. Many of the stories describe the futility of war and the innocent civilians who, caught in the conflict, emerge changed. But most of his stories deal with love, often focusing on themes of adultery and prostitution. No one was better than Maupassant at telling a really good story, and here is a collection of Guy de Maupassant's greatest tales all in one book.