Crucial Instances

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!

Résumé
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!