Which best describes an anthology?

An anthology is a collection of artistic works; such as plays, poems, short stories, songs or excerpts by different authors. In fiction, the term anthology typically categorizes shorter works or short stories by different authors, each featuring unrelated casts of characters and settings, and usually collected into a single volume for publication.

The word "anthology" derives from the Greek word 'anthologia'; it was converted to English during the 17th century. In the Far East, anthologies have been used for centuries to compile the best works within a literary genre for popular consumption.

A perfect example is non-English sung music which might alienate American ears in the wrong context, whereas an anthology of works from those genres could end up winning some unlikely fans. Examples include 'The Best American Short Stories' – an annual anthology of some of the finest short stories by America's most renowned writers.

Anthologies have also been used to refer to TV shows that feature a series of short vignettes tied to a single theme, such as horror or suspense. Examples include 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents', 'The Twilight Zone', and 'Red Shoe Diaries'. An anthology has the ability to expand the cultural scope of an intellectually curious public.