First published 1994
This anthology brings together Auchincloss's most celebrated short fiction from across his career. The collection features three major story cycles that showcase his mastery of the form. "The Romantic Egoists" explores the psychological complexities of privileged characters caught between desire and duty. "Skinny Island" presents a series of interconnected tales set in an exclusive summer community where social facades crack under pressure. "Tales of Yesteryear" looks backward to examine how the past shapes present relationships and choices. Auchincloss writes with surgical precision about the American upper class, revealing the tensions between public respectability and private longing. His characters navigate marriages, careers, and family obligations while struggling with their own moral compromises. The stories capture moments when carefully constructed lives begin to unravel, exposing the emotional costs of maintaining social position. Each tale demonstrates Auchincloss's ability to find drama in seemingly quiet domestic situations, where a conversation at dinner or a chance encounter can alter everything.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, american-fiction, 20th-century, american, contemporary
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: character-study, domestic-drama, social-commentary
Period: 20th-Century
465 pages · Houghton Mifflin