In this collection of stories and essays, Guy de Maupassant shows himself a cynical realist with an eye for the macabre and mysterious, and a penchant for misogyny. His less credible stories often end with a (sometimes predictable) twist, while the more realistic ones give grim, gruesome accounts of French life in the late 19th century.

I enjoyed most of the tales in this volume, even those that left me exclaiming, "Good God!" In this last category were unflinching accounts of human cruelty such as "Old Milon" and "The Blind Man," the latter recounting the life and times of a horribly abused peasant, the former one of several vignettes dealing with the Franco-Prussian War.

Maupassant's realism and straightforward narration frequently allows unimpeded insight into the human condition, and more than once I found myself recognizing in the emotions of his heroes and heroines something of my own feelings.

Most striking to me were one character's words at the close of the story "Moonlight," a romantic story told by a woman to her sister. After telling her sister how she swooned at the close of a holiday love affair, Madame Letore is warned by her sister not to be fooled by her supposed feelings for the hero of the affair: " 'You see, my dear,' " says the sister, " 'there are times when we are in love, not with any man, but with love itself' " (pp. 22-23). ( )