Truly gripping, these mini-masterpieces each contain the substance of a condensed full-length novel. "Fantastic Night" is the story of one transformative evening in the life of a rich and bored young man. He spends a day at the races and an evening in the seedy but thrilling company of the dregs of society. His experiences jolt him out of his languor and give him a newfound relish for life, which is then cut short by the Great War.Two of Zweig’s most powerful works,"The Invisible Collection" and "Buchmendel," explore lives led in the single-minded pursuit of art and literature against a backdrop of poverty and corruption. "Letter from an Unknown Woman" isa poignant and heartbreaking tale of the strength and madness of unrequited love, while in "In The Fowler Snared," it is the man whose passion remains unrequited. "Twenty-Four Hours in the Life of a Woman" is the story of a middle-aged English widow who travels to escape loneliness and boredom. One evening while enjoying the elegant atmosphere of the Monte Carlo Casino, she becomes mesmerized by the obsessive gambling of a young Polish aristocrat. This fateful encounter leads to passion, despair, and death, changing their lives forever.