American Stories from VOA

The VOA American Stories are simplified versions of short stories by famous American authors from the 1800s and early 1900s.

The numbers – from 2.0 to 5.8 – indicate the approximate level of difficulty. Stories at the beginning of the list are easier; stories at the end are more difficult.

Stories with an asterisk (*) have been some of my students’ favorites.

• The Law of Life, Jack London, 2.0
• Keesh, Jack London, 2.1
• * To Build a Fire, Jack London, 2.3
• An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, Ambrose Bierce, 2.5
• The Californian’s Tale, Mark Twain, 2.7
• * The Tell-Tale Heart, Edgar Allen Poe, 2.8
• * The Ransom of Red Chief, O. Henry, 3.1
• The God of His Fathers, Jack London, 3.2
• * The Last Leaf, O. Henry, 3.2
• A Princess of Mars, part 1, Edgar Rice Burroughs, 3.2
• A Princess of Mars, part 2, Edgar Rice Burroughs, 3.5
• A Princess of Mars, part 3, Edgar Rice Burroughs, 3.2
• A Princess of Mars, part 4, Edgar Rice Burroughs, 3.5
• The Return of a Private, Hamlin Garland, 3.5
• Bartleby, Herman Melville, 3.3
• * The Gift of the Magi, O. Henry, 3.6
• * The Cask of Amontillado, Edgar Allen Poe, 3.6
• The Devil and Tom Walker, Washington Irving, 3.7
• A Municipal Report, O. Henry, 3.8
• The Purloined Letter, Edgar Allan Poe, 3.9
• * The White Heron, Sarah Orne Jewett, 4.0
• Feathertop, Nathaniel Hawthorne, 4.0
• Paul’s Case, part 1, Willa Cather, 4.0
• Paul’s Case, part 2, Willa Cather, 4.0
• The Line of Least Resistance, Edith Wharton, 4.1
• * The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Washington Irving, 4.2
• The Boarded Window, Ambose Bierce, 4.4
• * John Henry, traditional story, 4.5
• * Paul Bunyan, traditional story, 4.5
• Pecos Bill, traditional story, 4.6
• A Horseman in the Sky, Ambrose Bierce, 4.6
• The Story of an Eyewitness, Jack London, 4.6
• The Diamond Lens, part 1, James O’Brien, 4.6
• The Diamond Lens, part 2, James O’Brien, 4.4
• Rappaccini’s Daughter, part 1, Nathaniel Hawthorne, 4.8
• Rappaccini’s Daughter, part 2, Nathaniel Hawthorne, 4.5
• Athenaise, Kate Chopin, 4.5
• The Ambitious Guest, Nathaniel Hawthorne, 4.7
• A Pair of Silk Stockings, Kate Chopin, 4.8
• The Luck of Roaring Camp, Bret Harte, 4.8
• * The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calavaras County, Mark Twain, 4.9
• Luck, Mark Twain, 5.0
• * The Lady, or the Tiger? Frank Stockton, 5.0
• Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment, Nathaniel Hawthorne, 5.1
• Benito Cereno, part 1, Herman Melville, 5.0
• Benito Cereno, part 2, Herman Melvills, 5.8
• Benito Cereno, part 3, Herman Melville, 5.4
• The Whirligig of Life, O. Henry, 5.2
• The Birthmark, Nathaniel Hawthorne, 5.8