| Originally published in 1901, 'Crucial Instances' is the second collection of six short stories connected, as the title suggests, by a hinging moment in the narrative through which the plot alters dramatically. The contents included the following: 'The Duchess at Prayer', 'The Angel at the Grave', 'The Recovery', 'Copy: A Dialogue', 'The Rembrandt', 'The Moving Finger' and 'The Confessional'.This is a great collection of stories, where Edith Wharton shows her wide range of talents, from those with a bit of a horror feel, to ones which just make the reader feel good. There is one 'Dialogue' or play, several written in third person, several in first person, written from a man's point of view and some from a woman's. All of them are carefully crafted to show a particular attitude or character or scene in great detail. Highly recommended |
