This anthology of anthologies contains H. H. Munro's excellent short stories, derived from a total of six compilations which were published over the course of twenty years.
Containing all of his best regarded and famous short tales, as well as a sizeable host of hidden gems and lesser-known treasures, this gigantic compendium is comprehensive and certain to satisfy any fan of the author. The sensual, tantalising and distinctly moral nature of the stories usually rail against the stifling conventions of society - in the end, the natural world (and people acting naturally) tend to come out on top.
The recognisable style with which Saki tells his tales make their endings, which are usually surprising and witty, a keynote feature of every story. Saki's ingrained wit and the casually biting nature of the topics he chooses often leads certain characters and the things they represent to ridicule, usually to the great satisfaction of the reader. Many famous people, from Graeme Greene to Noel Coward, have confessed their addiction to Saki's form and style.
Although he never ascended to the popularity of his contemporary Oscar Wilde, Saki's works are imbued with a unique value that makes his early death at the age of 46 in World War I all the more tragic. Sometimes silly, sometimes irreverent, but always essentially human, Saki's tales continue to give great pleasure to many who stumble across them.
