: A courtroom comedy featuring Harte’s recurring character, a flamboyantly legalistic Southern colonel.

: An early American humor piece detailing the mishaps of a Frenchman caught in land speculation.

Humor is a universal language, but these 33 stories prove that its dialects range from the absurd and surreal to the bitingly satirical and endearingly silly. This curated list spans classic literary giants to contemporary humorists, offering a comprehensive look at the best in comedic short fiction.

: A biting satire on police corruption and the fickle nature of local power, told through a single incident involving a dog bite.

: A charming comedy about a man who realizes midway through a funeral speech that he is eulogizing the wrong person.