Better known as "Life’s Little Ironies", this selection of tales was the third that Hardy collected himself for publication as a volume and it reflects the experience of a novelist who was at the height of his creative powers. The tales are thematically linked by a concern with the diverse problems of marriage, yet they display the full range of Hardy’s art. Firmly rooted in the culture of Wessex, the stories encompass comedy, tragedy, the supernatural, romance and realism. Hardy’s gift for irony is fused with compassion as he creates characters and scenes of remarkable credibility.

CONTENTS:
1. An Imaginative Woman
2. The Son’s Veto
3. For Conscience’ Sake
4. A Tragedy of Two Ambitions
5. On the Western Circuit
6. To Please His Wife
7. The Fiddler of the Reels
8. A Few Crusted Characters