In this magnificent collection of Stefan Zweig's short stories the very best and worst of human nature are captured with sharp observation, understanding and vivid empathy. A knock on a door that forces a whole community to take flight, an aging womaniser who meets his match, a love soured into awful cruelty-these stories present a master at work, at the top of his form. Translated by the award-winning Anthea Bell

"One of the masters of the short story" - Guardian

"The stories are as page-turning as they are subtle... Compelling" - Guardian

"Stefan Zweig... was a talented writer and ultimately another tragic victim of wartime despair. This rich collection... confirms how good he could be" - Irish Times

"The rediscovery of this extraordinary writer could well be on a par with last year's refinding of the long-lost Stoner, by John Williams" - Telegraph

"Zweig, prolific storyteller and embodiment of avanished Mitteleuropa, seems to be back, and in a big way" - New York Times

"For far too long, our links with Zweig... have been broken. Pushkin Press's phenomenal, heartbreaking collection is a reminder that it's time to forge them again" - Los Angeles Review of Books

"The Updike of his day... Zweig is a lucid writer,and Bell renders his prose flawlessly" - New York Observer

"Zweig's impassioned pursuit of personal freedom seems more relevant than ever" - Newsweek