First published 2002
Arnold Bennett brings readers into a world where characters navigate the complexities of urban life and human ambition. This collection of stories explores how ordinary people encounter extraordinary circumstances in their pursuit of wealth, status, and meaning. Bennett's protagonists find themselves caught between their desires and the harsh realities of city living, where opportunities and dangers exist side by side. Each tale reveals the moral compromises people make when faced with temptation and necessity. The stories examine what drives individuals to seek their fortunes and what they're willing to sacrifice along the way. Bennett captures the tension between personal ethics and survival instincts, showing how characters respond when their principles clash with their needs. This republished edition preserves Bennett's exploration of human nature in urban settings, offering clear, readable text that brings these character studies to contemporary readers.
Genres: fiction, short-stories, literary-fiction, 20th-century
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: character-driven, moral-ambiguity
Setting: Cities
Period: 20th-Century
Paperback · House of Stratus Ltd