A SHORT STORY BY KATE CHOPIN

An early exemplar of feminist literature, The Story of an Hour follows Mrs. Mallard as she learns of her husband’s death in a freak accident. Grief quickly turns to a guilty exhilaration as she realizes that – her duties as a wife having been fulfilled and finished – the remainder of her days will be hers, and hers alone. Secluded in her room she whispers to herself, “Free, free, free!” Alas – tragedy (or triumph?) only turns to further tragedy.

Kate Chopin was a maestro of short fiction. Her writing, though now well over a century old, is bitingly relevant today.

This is the first in what will become a series of unnumbered chapbooks. While the Press’ capacity for grander editions has expanded, our love of smaller format bookmaking remains steadfast. Some great literature simply confines itself to a few hundred words. That, in our view, should not be grounds for exclusion from private presswork.