George Willard is a young reporter on the Winesburg Eagle to whom, one by one, the inhabitants of Winesburg, Ohio, confide their hopes, their dreams, and their fears. This town of friendly but solitary people comes to life as Anderson's special talent exposes the emotional undercurrents that bind its people together. In this timeless cycle of short stories, he lays bare the life of a small town in the American Midwest. In such tales as ?Hands,? the betrayal of a rural berry picker still haunted by the accusations of homosexuality that ended his teaching career, Anderson?s vision is as acute today as it was over 85 years ago. His intuitive ability to home in on examples of timeless human conflicts?a working man deciding if he should marry the woman who is to bear his child, and unhappy housewife who seeks love from the town?s doctor, an unmarried high school teacher sexually attracted to a pupil?make this book, not only immensely readable, but also deeply meaningful. An important influence on Faulkner, Hemingway and others who were drawn to Anderson?s, innovative format and psychological insights Winesburg, Ohio deserves a place among the front ranks of our nation?s finest literary achievements.