Having browsed through several of Hardy's novels before deciding 300 pages or so of 19th century English rural life seemed a bit much, it was a turn of luck to discover this selection of his short stories. With its more manageable chunks of Hardy it turned out to be a really enjoyable read. The seasons and rhythms of life are deftly portrayed and nature is brought to life but never over-described. The characters who interact and go about their business under the skies and sunsets and among the natural and manmade features Hardy constructs are also memorable. Many facets of English small town life appear, from rural folklore to smuggling, hangings and more. Far from the ponderous vibe I picked up from perusing his novels, the stories are often fast-paced (especially the one involving smuggling, originally written for a magazine that clearly demanded action).
Five stars - four for the great tales from Mr Hardy and another one for Oxford professor John Wain's deft selection of seven fabulous pieces from the wider body of Hardy's short stories and his insightful introduction that really gets to why Hardy wrote the way he did.