A collection of short stories from around the world including works by such authors as Valentin Rasputin, Yasunari Kawabata, and Toni Cade Bambara.

"A Karen and Michael Braziller book."

The jay / Yasunari Kawabata (Japan) -- The Balek scales / Heinrich Böll (Germany) -- Games at twilight / Anita Desai (India) -- The late bud / Ama Ata Aidoo (Ghana) -- French lessons / Valentin Rasputin (Russia) - A gentleman's agreement / Elizabeth Jolley (Australia) -- The conjurer made off with the dish / Naguib Mahfouz (Egypt) -- The composition / Antonio Skárzmeta (Chile) -- The ladder / V.S. Pritchett (England) -- Sweet town / Toni Cade Bambara (United States) -- Big fish, little fish / Italo Calvino (Italy) -- Inem / Pramoedya Ananta Foer (Indonesia) -- The child who loved roads / Cora Sandel (Norway) -- Hands / Xiao Hong (China) -- Christmas morning / Frank O'Connor (Ireland) -- A walk to the jetty / Jamaica Kincaid (Antigua).