Although very short stories have a long history and have appeared under a number of labels, flash fiction is now the preferred term, one that describes an established genre that continues to grow in popularity. To date, however, relatively little scholarship has been published on it. This present volume seeks to address that deficiency while introducing students and teachers to the genre and to a number of its finest authors. Essays look at both prominent forebearers and current practitioners including Kate Chopin, Franz Kafka, Julio Cortazar, Amy Hempel, and Lydia Davis.