Life can be difficult. We all experience hurdles, obstacles and problems that get in the way and may limit our opportunities. But we can usually count on the steadfast and loving support of others. We get that comfort from our parents and pass it on through the generations. Sadly, some will not get that unconditional love and bond from their onset or their early years. Growing up as an orphan is to know you are different and, on some levels at least, alone. Surviving and thriving with this can damage a life or be used as fuel to achieve a whole, rich, and nurtured life.In this volume our authors use this as their theme as they construct moving stories from bleak beginnings to lives with surprising outcomes. 1 - Stories About Orphans - An Introduction2 - Vanka by Anton Chekhov3 - Betty Brown, the St Giles Orange Girl by Hannah More4 - Stephen Archer by George MacDonald5 - The Indian Orphan. A Tale by Letitia Elizabeth Landon6 - An Angel in Disguise by T S Arthur7 - A Story of a Wedding Tour by Margaret Oliphant8 - Some of the Shipwrecked by Mary E Mann9 - The Living Telegraph by Boleslaw Prus10 - The Sea Voyage by Charles Lamb