This tale is beautifully constructed to address the ludicrous nature of the racial divide. It was almost shocking to know it was written in 1892, when slavery was the past, but the issue of race and the "purity" of blood still so strong in Southern society.

https://www.katechopin.org/pdfs/desirees-baby.pdf

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Note I read the physical version of this book

Wow. Powerful short story about how racism can tear people apart. ( )

This is one of those tragic stories where two white parents have a baby that isn't so white. It's set in the America of yesteryear when this was serious enough to turn one partner's love for the other to unforgiving hatred.

The author does a great job of setting the tone and evoking sympathy for the rejected partner. What impressed me most was the last paragraph. I won't give it away, but will say I didn't see it coming. ( )

From the author of the famous feminist work The Awakening comes this collection of short stories set in the New Orleans bayou. Many of the stories blend together, lost in my memory only moments after finishing them. That’s something I always struggle with when it comes to short stories.

This collection does have a few stand outs, particularly the title story Désirée’s Baby. The horrifying little tale is about a happily married couple who have just had their first child. The child clearly isn’t completely white and because of that the husband throws the wife out of the house and disowns the child, saying she must have an African American in her background. But the truth is even more shocking.

The other stand out was “The Godmother,” a short piece about a woman whose grandson commits a murder. She does everything she can to protect him and hide the truth, but the guilt of the cover-up drives a wedge between them. The collection includes: Love on the Bon-Dieu, Désirée’s Baby, A Lady of Bayou St. John, The Unexpected, Fedora, The Story of an Hour, The Godmother and At the Cadian Ball

BOTTOM LINE: Start with Chopin’s other work, "The Awakening” and if you’re left wanting more then check these out. ( )