used to produce stunning pieces in a very condensed format. He produced more than 300 short stories; we selected for you 9 of the most bizarre, influent, humorous or plain shocking. They are in order: The Englishman of Etretat, The Mustache, A Mother of Monsters, A Portrait, A Widow, Madame Baptiste, The Drunkard, Magnetism, An Uncomfortable Bed. By Honoré de Balzac, The Unknown Masterpiece is a short text that was received as a revolution in the world of art, for its work about artistic creation: what does completion or failure mean, and how is it that technique does not guarantee either. Flaubert was known for his scrupulous devotion to his style, sometimes working for a whole week to achieve a single page. A Simple Soul is a short text containing a lifetime of human emotions. It has been said that no other author has imparted so much beauty and integrity to so modest an existence. This short story is utterly poignant and will change your view of selflessness.