Maupassant is considered as one of the trendsetters like Somerset Maugham and O. Henry in the field of contemporary short story. He is famous for clever plotting and realistic art in displaying his subject. These stories cover a array of subjects including friendship, love and marriage.

This book contains four short stories of him: Marroca tells a story that the protagonist falls in love with a woman who is already married. In Martine, the protagonists Benoist and Martine fall in love with each other. However, Martine suddenly gets married with the rihest man in their town. In the end of the story, Benoist luckily gets rid of the pain and gains a friendship with the richest man. In Minuet, author gets acquainted with a weird old man. Minuet of the old man impresses him a lot. In Miss Harriet,an old painter describes his love affair with Miss Harriet. Their love affair is impressive and sorrowful.

Guy de Maupassant ( 5 August 1850 – 6 July 1893) was a popular French writer, considered one of the fathers of the modern short story and one of the form's finest exponents. Maupassant was a protégé of Flaubert and his stories are characterized by economy of style and efficient, effortless dénouements. Many are set during the Franco-Prussian War of the 1870s, describing the futility of war and the innocent civilians who, caught up in events beyond their control, are permanently changed by their experiences. He wrote some 300 short stories, six novels, three travel books, and one volume of verse. His first published story, "Boule de Suif" ("Ball of Fat", 1880), is often considered his masterpiece.