These novellas continue Sienkiewicz's close examination of Polish culture and history, providing a rich perspective for modern readers.--Library Journal.

Excerpt from Charcoal Sketches Still, however, this is a world of violent contrasts, and of painful incongruities. Some of us may laugh; but while we laugh, let us be assured of it that there are others who are weeping. It is pleasant all about you here, within your brief horizon, but the distance may be short to scenes most sadly different. Smiles are on your brow, as you jostle through the street, yet your elbow touches him whose heart is torn with grief. Is there a merry-making in your family - are friends in congregation there with mirth, and dance, and song? How strange to think that it is scarce a step to the couch of suffering or the chamber of despair. The air is tremulous, perchance, with sighs and groans; and though our joyous strains overwhelm all sorrow's breathings, yet the sorrow still exists even when we hear it not. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

An accused witch is banished from her home in Portland, Maine. A young socialite in New Orleans dabbles in magic to get rid of a rival. An acrobat in a traveling circus learns her greatest enemy lives in the mirror. An Irish immigrant may have brought malevolent faeries with her to the New World. A lumberjack in the Pacific Northwest suspects a monster lurks behind the enormous trees. A Colorado gold miner finds himself trapped in the bowels of the earth, no matter how many times he tries to dig his way out. A psychiatrist in Chicago suffers from insomnia and loses track of where reality ends and his nightmares begin. Written in the literary tradition of gothic horror, The Witch: And Other Tales of the American Gothic is a collection of strange occurrences in 19th century America. These seven stories provide a reflection of the country’s growing pains during a time of transition and an exploration of the secrets that lurk in the shadows of the world we think we know.

This scarce antiquarian book is included in our special Legacy Reprint Series. In the interest of creating a more extensive selection of rare historical book reprints, we have chosen to reproduce this title even though it may possibly have occasional imperfections such as missing and blurred pages, missing text, poor pictures, markings, dark backgrounds and other reproduction issues beyond our control. Because this work is culturally important, we have made it available as a part of our commitment to protecting, preserving and promoting the world's literature.