In this collection of short stories, James explores the tension between art and life, imagination and reality. He portrays a cast of characters who are struggling to find meaning and purpose in a rapidly-changing world, and who turn to art as a way of transcending their mundane existence. This book is a masterful example of James's psychological realism and his acute sensitivity to the complexities of human experience.This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.