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In contrast with the epic scope of the Rougon-Macquart novels, Zola’s short stories are concerned with the everyday aspects of human existence and the interests of ordinary people. From the cruel irony of "Captain Burle" to the Rabelaisian exuberance of "Coqueville on the Spree," these stories display the broad range of Zola’s imagination, using a variety of tones, from the quietly cynical to the compassionate. The settings of the stories also range widely, from the aristocratic drawing rooms to poverty-stricken garrets, from the cemeteries of Paris to the countryside of Zola’s youth. In these 16 stories, Zola’s racy tone is faithfully rendered by acclaimed translator Douglas Parmée.

Included in this edition are "Nana," "The Miller's Daughter," "Captain Burle," "The Death of Olivier Becaille," "The Inundation," "Nantas," "Nais Micoulin," and "Mme. Neigeon."

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Most famous for his twenty-volume dissection of nineteenth-century French mores and society, the Rougon-Macquart novels, Zola was also an extremely accomplished short-story writer, as exemplified by the tales included in this volume. Concerned with the manifold aspects of everyday life and varying in their settings – from aristocratic drawing rooms to poverty-stricken garrets, from the hustle and bustle of Paris to the Provençal countryside of the author's childhood – these stories will keep the reader riveted from the beginning to the end and surprise for their modernity. Contains: The Attack on the Mill The Girl Who Loves Me Rentafoil Death by Advertising Story of a Madman Big Michu The Way People Die A Flash in the Pan Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder Priests and Sinners Fair Exchange The Haunted House