Set in Rembrandt's Amsterdam, "An Obscure Man" is the story of Nathanaël-innocent, open to experience-born like Everyman upon the stream of life. In "A Lovely Morning," Nathanaël's young son joins a touring company of Jacobean actors. "Anna, soror . . .," the final tale, is an account of illicit passion in the baroque world of Naples."An Obscure Man swarms with life. This intricately researched, imaginative, beautifully written tale of a young man's brief life in the mid-17th century is entirely engrossing."-Leona Weiss, San Francisco Chronicle"In these three stories, [Yourcenar] succeeds in making the essences of these past lives a part of the reader's future through the sheer intensity of their portrayal."-Margaret Ezell, Houston Chronicle