'The short stories of Judith Wright have never before been collected together. Thirteen of them are scattered through The Bulletin and, since they are printed in five narrow columns there, are difficult to read. Eight of the stories appeared in anthologies, but the other seven have been lost in the back numbers of the old Bulletin. Their reading was a necessary part of writing this dissertation, so I collected them together, and, more importantly, they are worthy of preservation. They complement her other prose works and her poems, and also stand on their own right to confront us with moments of truth in life.' (Author's Preface).