A collection of seven short stories and a novella from acclaimed western writer Louis L'Amour.

Tarquin (formerly Rodney) Winot, an impeccably correct English Francophile, journeys not just to his cottage in Provence, but through a forest of sensual description as he offers the story of his life through food. It is only gradually, as the novel assumes some of the qualities of a highly suspenseful thriller, that we begin to realize that Tarquin Winot is not merely the witty voluptuary he seems to be. John Lanchester is--unsurprisingly--a former restaurant critic; this is his first work of fiction.

This novel about the relationship between Robert Schumann and his wife Clara begins when Schumann is dying and reminiscing about the events of his life, which include his dissipated youth, his failures and successes as a musician, and--most of all--his love for the beautiful and gifted Clara. A New York Times Notable Book for the year 2000.

When journalist Martin Mohlberg is suspected of murdering his girlfriend, he must find the real killer to clear his name. In the course of Martin's investigation, he realizes that her life involved much more than he knew including pornography, large inexplicable sums of cash and mysterious correspondence.

Gary Larson, of The Far Side fame, offers the tale of an earthworm who is sick and tired of being a worm. The final straw is a hair in his dirt dinner! The ecological tale that ensues, incorporating environmental lessons and a less-than-intelligent maiden, shows that nature is something to be preserved, enjoyed, understood, and respected. To be enjoyed by children as well as adults.