My Story That I Like Best

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Six Authors, Six Favorites:  A Window into Cosmopolitan’s Literary Past

When My Story That I Like Best was published in 1924, Cosmopolitan magazine was already more than 40 years old—and a very different magazine than the one we know today.  Rather than the glossy lifestyle publication, Cosmopolitan was a respected literary magazine—showcasing works by well-known authors of the early 20^th century.

This book is a collection of the cream of the short stories generated by six of the magazine’s contributing writers—a couple of whom wrote novels that continue to be widely read a hundred years later.

In his introduction, Cosmopolitan editor Ray Long indicates that rather than choose the stories himself, he invited each author to pick the best of their own works.  The result is a half-dozen delightful stories with a broad range of genres and styles.  As a bonus, each author provides a forward to their story describing the background behind its development and the reasons for their choice.

Stand-Out Stories

All the stories are well-worth your time.  But two or three stand out:

• “The Gay Old Dog” by Edna Ferber tells the story of a man who makes a promise at his mother’s dying moment.  Its theme is similar to that of 1929’s award-winning short story “Big Blond” by Dorothy Parker, but from a male perspective.
• James Oliver Curwood’s “Kazan” is a heart-warming story about the inseparable bond between two dogs in the rugged wilderness of northwest Canada.
• And “Money to Burns” by H.C. Witwer is a humorous tale about a young hotel bellboy whose life is suddenly transformed by unexpected wealth.

Long begins his introduction by suggesting he is presenting this book as if he were your host for the evening.  He has invited six of the most distinguished writers of his time to relax with you over coffee, and discuss their works.  That’s a near-perfect metaphor for My Story That I Like Best.  Chances are these will also be among the stories you like best.

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Quotes

A writer’s judgment of his own output rarely agrees with that of his friends. —Irving S. Cobb

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