The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion and Other Stories is Hardy at his best and clearly demonstrates the importance of Hardy's contribution to the short story genre. The title story was inspired by an account of some soldiers who had been shot for desertion....

It was nearly ninety years ago. The British uniform of the period, with its immense epaulettes, queer cocked-hat, breeches, gaiters, ponderous cartridge-box, buckled shoes, and what not, would look strange and barbarous now. Ideas have changed; invention has followed invention. Soldiers were monumental objects then. A divinity still hedged kings here and there; and war was considered a glorious thing. Secluded old manor-houses and hamlets lie in the ravines and hollows among these hills, where a stranger had hardly ever been seen till the King chose to take the baths yearly at the sea-side watering-place a few miles to the south; as a consequence of which battalions descended in a cloud upon the open country around. Is it necessary to add that the echoes of many characteristic tales, dating from that picturesque time, still linger about here in more or less fragmentary form, to be caught by the attentive ear? Some of them I have repeated; most of them I have forgotten; one I have never repeated, and assuredly can never forget.

Three of the finest of the author's numerous short stories include the romantic title tale, the comic "The Distracted Preacher," and "The Three Strangers," a tribute to community life.

The Fiddler of the Reels and Other Stories (Dover Thrift Editions) by Thomas Hardy As popular today as they were during the author's lifetime, the works of Thomas Hardy captivate readers with their gripping narrative power and arresting imagery. This collection presents a trio of the author's finest and most representative short stories. "The Distracted Preacher," a flawless comedy graced with Shakespearean touches, concerns a pair of ill-matched lovers and the breakup of a little network of smugglers. "The Three Strangers" offers a celebration of the comforts and familiarities of life within a community. The title story, singled out time and again for critical praise, centers on the rivalry between a good but plain man and a charismatic villain. These tales mark Hardy's attempts to record the rapidly vanishing legends, superstitions, local customs, and lore of the Dorset region as well as his skepticism about the possibility of achieving personal and sexual satisfaction in the modern world. Alternatively humorous, ironic, and elegiac, the stories attest to the remarkable range of Hardy's storytelling gifts. We are delighted to publish this classic book as part of our extensive Classic Library collection. Many of the books in our collection have been out of print for decades, and therefore have not been accessible to the general public. The aim of our publishing program is to facilitate rapid access to this vast reservoir of literature, and our view is that this is a significant literary work, which deserves to be brought back into print after many decades. The contents of the vast majority of titles in the Classic Library have been scanned from the original works. To ensure a high quality product, each title has been meticulously hand curated by our staff. Our philosophy has been guided by a desire to provide the reader with a book that is as close as possible to ownership of the original work. We hope that you will enjoy this wonderful classic work, and that for you it becomes an enriching experience.