From haunting ghost stories to classic fairy tales, Going Public ...In Shorts! is a collection of 40 classic and lesser-known works by history's greatest writers. Among the stories included are "The Death of a Government Clerk", Anton Chekhov's defining vignette; "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County", Mark Twain's comedic story that earned him national fame; "The Gift of the Magi", O. Henry's masterful Christmastime tale about love and sacrifice; and "The Story of an Hour", Kate Chopin's enduring feminist work about a frail woman and her dead husband. Also included are lesser-known stories such as "Brown Wolf", a short tale by Jack London; "The Diamond as Big as the Ritz", an early thriller-romance by F. Scott Fitzgerald; "The Spectre Bridegroom", a folk tale-style ghost story by Washington Irving; and "The Prophets' Paradise", a dreamlike narrative by Robert W. Chambers. Proceeds from the publisher's sale of this title go to Reach Out and Read, an innovative literacy advocacy organization.

The full list of narrators: John Lee, Mark Turetsky, John McLain, Scott O'Neill, Diane Havens, Dick Hill, Simon Vance, John Pruden, Arielle DeLisle, Jo Anna Perrin, Dion Graham, Amy Rubinate, Kyle Munley, Adam Verner, Rachel Fulginiti, Cris Dukehart, Coleen Marlo, Susan Ericksen, Oliver Wyman, Paul Michael Garcia, Gabrielle de Cuir, Johnny Heller, Tish Hicks, Kaleo Griffith, David Drummond, Karen White, Peter Berkrot, Vanessa Hart, Patrick Lawlor, Jeffrey Kafer, Hillary Huber, Gary Dikeos, Luke Daniels, Stefan Rudnicki, Robert Fass, Cassandra Campbell, Robin Ray Eller, and Xe Sands.