Seven short stories from the prolific Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist Edith Wharton. With a wide variety of protagonists a cloistered monk to a struggling artist to a Governor to a New England lawyer's wife she is flexing her writing muscles and trying on personas. Includes The Last Asset", In Trust", The Pretext", The Verdict", The Pot-Boiler", and The Best Man". In the title story, the reader learns that the hermit," as a young boy, witnessed the killing of his parents and sister during an attack on his town. As a result of his trauma, he has retreated into isolation until he meets a wild woman" who comes to live nearby. Highly recommended when you want something short but stimulating between longer reads!