A Vocation and a Voice: Stories

This is an excellent book, written around and shortly after the time of Chopin's feminist classic, The Awakening. The editors have seemingly put together the collection that was rejected by publishers after The Awakening became a scandal. The stories are well worth reading. Withing its pages are "The Story of an Hour," one of her classic character sketches; "Lilacs," a poignant story about leave-taking and the cost of freedom; "Her Letters," a predictable but touching story of love and obsession in the aftermath of a spouse's death; and the title story, an intriguing story concerning gypsies and religion. Catholicism as a theme runs throughout the collection. Some of these seem to be more occassional pieces, and on the whole, there is some uneveness, but a delightful and worthwhile experience nonetheless