Nathaniel Hawthorne

Hawthorne's tale about the brooding hold of the past over the present is a complex one, twisting and turning its way back through many generations of a venerable New England family, one of whose members was accused of witchcraft in 17th century Salem. More than 200 years later, we meet the family in its decaying, gabled mansion, still haunted by the presence of dead ancestors: Hepzibah, an elderly gentlewoman fallen on had times; her ineffectual brother,...

Here are the best of Hawthorne's short stories. There are twenty-four of them, not only the most familiar, but also many that are virtually unknown to the average reader. The selection was made by Professor Newton Arvin of Smith College, a recognized authority on Hawthorne and a distinguished literary critic as well. His fine introduction admirably interprets Hawthorne's mind and art.

Retells the Greek myths: The Gorgon's head, The golden touch, The paradise of children. The three golden apples, The miraculous pitcher, The Chimera.

Pearl, the daughter of Hester Prynne from Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter," tries to make sense of her life and her self while a young girl in 1649 Boston.

In a time when adultery is punishable by death, Hester Prynne becomes involved in a risky and scandalous affair with her town's handsome minister.

The short stories, reflecting Hawthorne's Puritan background and his use of symbolism and allegory, are presented with biographical notes.