Joseph Lewis French (1858–1936) was a novelist, editor, poet and newspaper man. The New York Times noted in 1925 that he may be "the most industrious anthologist of his time." He is known for his popular themed collections and released over twenty-five books between 1918 and his death in 1936. He founded two magazines, The New West (circa 1887) and The Wave (circa 1890). Afterwards he worked for newspapers "across the country" contributing poetry and articles. He struggled financially and in 1927 New York Graphic, a daily tabloid, published an autobiographical article they convinced him to write, they titled "I'm Starving--Yet I'm in Who's Who as the Author of 27 Famous Books."
I. The Listener—Algernon Blackwood
II. Number—Montague Rhodes James
III. Joseph: A Story—Katherine Rickford
IV. The Horla—Guy de Maupassant
V. The Beast with Five Fingers—William F. Harvey
VI. Sister Maddelena—Ralph Adams Cram
VII. Thrawn Janet—Robert Louis Stevenson
VIII. The Yellow Cat—Wilbur Daniel Steele
IX. Letter to Sura—Pliny the Younger