Regarded as one of the finest American short story writers and admired by George Saunders, Susan Sontag and Salman Rushdie, this volume presents Paley's collected works. Published as part of a beautifully designed series to mark the 40th anniversary of the Virago Modern Classics.

'One of the great writers of voice of the last century . . . A writer like Paley comes along and brightens language up again, takes it aside and gives it a pep talk, sends it back renewed, so it can do its job, which is to wake us up' George Saunders

'This is a collection full of energy and stunning, quiet innovation ... it spills over with contempt, raucous humour, sadness and generosity. In it, life and language are synonymous, and there is no higher praise. What a wonderful book' Ali Smith

FROM THE PULITZER PRIZE AND NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST, GRACE PALEY

'Grace Paley's is exceptional' KASIA BODDY, GUARDIAN

'Her unladylike gutsiness and friendliness are nonpareil' EDMUND WHITE, OBSERVER

'They are stories full of the stories we all tell and live by, tall stories as well as short' SALMAN RUSHDIE

Here are all Grace Paley's classic stories in one volume. From her first book The Little Disturbances of Man (1959) to Enormous Changes at the Last Minute (1974) and Later the Same Day (1985), Grace Paley's quirky, boisterous characters and rich use of language have won her readers' hearts and secured her place as one of America's most accomplished short story writers. Her stories are united by her signature interweaving of personal and political truths, her extraordinary capacity for empathy and her pointed depiction of the small and large events that make up daily life.