Steven Schwartz Libri

Engaging plots drive the eleven short stories, each capturing intense moments and character depth. From a western farmer's peace disrupted by a couple's arrival to a reunion that challenges identity, the narratives explore provocative themes. A high-school teacher's crisis and a man's confrontation with past relationships add layers of complexity. Schwartz's unpretentious style ensures accessibility, highlighting the interplay between character traits and plot, demonstrating the enduring power of the short story form.

In search of a new life, Reuben and Ardith Rosenfeld and their two children move from Chicago to the small town of Welton, Colorado, looking for all the hope that the burgeoning West has to offer—its abundance of jobs, space, sunshine, prosperity, and the promise of reinvention. Reuben, a former copyeditor at the Chicago Tribune, purchases the local town paper, the Welton Sentinel. Ardith stays home and copes with the task of fixing up an older house, which suffers such disrepair that on Halloween it’s mistaken for part of a haunted house tour. Teenaged Harry continues his life as a troubled loner, skipping school and losing his tooth in a mysterious encounter. Meanwhile, Reuben, unaware that Ardith is having an affair, worries about his wife’s growing unhappiness and distance from the family. One night, after a cookout at some friends’ dairy farm, a fatal hit-and-run occurs that shocks the community, exposes a secret, and begins to rip apart the Rosenfeld family. The Tenderest of Strings is a riveting, full-hearted story of what it takes to survive as a family in a small Western town that beckons from afar but will put its newcomers to the test of their lives.

This collection showcases the best stories from a celebrated O. Henry prize-winning author, reflecting nearly forty years of literary excellence. It highlights the author's unique storytelling style and ability to capture the human experience through a diverse range of characters and themes, making it a must-read for fans of compelling narratives.

First published in 2004. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

Das Buch über die bahnbrechenden, klassischen Experimente der grossen Psychologen, ein faszinierender Einblick in den menschlichen Geist, der sich selbst erforscht.