A rare letdown from Pushkin Press. This book includes four short stories from Austrian author Stefan Zweig: ‘Did He Do It?’ (1935-40), ‘The Miracles of Life’ (1903), ‘Downfall of the Heart’ (1927), and ‘The Governess’ (1907). At his best, he writes with fluidity about fervent emotions, and the collection starts strong with at least the beginning and most of ‘Did He Do It?’, about a couple who have retired to the English countryside and soon have an immoderate, excessive neighbor. We know from the first paragraph that a murder has taken place, and Zweig clever keeps us wondering who it’s referring to, though the ending is a bit of a let down. The real downfall of the collection, however, is the next story, ‘The Miracles of Life’, which is not only overwrought in its description of pious devotion, but also far too long. ‘Downfall of the Heart’ and ‘The Governess’ are both more interesting in their descriptions of the suddenness of girls and young women growing up, but feel abrupt, and there isn’t enough nuance in the emotions that are stirred up in them and their family members.

Just this quote, on animals:
“The glance of an animal in great need can be a more penetrating, I might even say a more speaking look than the glance of a human being, for we put most of our feelings and thoughts into the words with which we communicate, while an animal, incapable of speech, expresses feelings only with its eyes.” ( )

Four stories / novellas from different stages of Zweig's career. All four have as a theme parent-child bonds at various ages and associated tensions which provides some continuity in the volume.

As usual with Zweig powerful absorbing writing backed up with erudition and a deep understanding of human instinct. ( )