We may hold that to make life a perfect, triumphant poem we must keep in beautiful, untyrannous subordination every impulse of mere self-provision, whether earthly or heavenly, while at the same time we give life its equatorial circumference. This collection of short stories has a singular synthesis despite the differences in time, characters and scene. They each tell of strength of spirit, of strong hearts. The Solitary,
The Taxidermist, and The Entomologist all take place in south Louisiana and include Creole characters, among others. The first is about a timid man with a tortured soul who lets another man marry his sweetheart; then chooses to live in isolation. A surprising friendship, a sudden stroke of good fortune, and a potential disaster with an unexpected outcome take place in The Taxidermist. And the last story tells of a collection of unusual relationships met with subsequent tragedy.This book represents a collection of some of George W. Cable’s best short stories. It is sure to incite interest and please the soul with its colorful tales.