Many giants of literature originate from the shores of these emerald isles: Shakespeare, Dickens, Chaucer, The Bronte sisters, and Austen. Most people would willingly add the name Thomas Hardy to that list.

Far From the Madding Crowd, Tess Of the D’Urbervilles, and The Mayor of Casterbridge are but three of his literary masterpieces. Lesser known, yet equally impressive, are his short stories. Within these works, Hardy creates characters that drive, meld, and create narratives that, though shorter in length, are of equal weight in literary importance and imagination.

Enjoy this delightful collection, read for you by Richard Mitchley.