“Beautifully crafted . . . eclectic and original . . . this collection makes us remember how powerful and essential the best short stories are.” —Francine Prose, O magazine

My Mistress’s Sparrow Is Dead is a literary masterpiece of amorous tales selected by Pulitzer Prize–winner Jeffrey Eugenides. From classics such as Chekhov’s “The Lady with the Lapdog” to such modern fare as Richard Ford’s “Fireworks,” these outstanding works capture the desire, obsession, power, and spirit of the emotion that drives and transforms our lives. Writers featured include:

William Faulkner • James Joyce • Alice Munro • Milan Kundera • Grace Paley • Lorrie Moore • Eudora Welty • Denis Johnson • Vladimir Nabokov • Miranda July • Raymond Carver • George Saunders • Annie Proulx • And many, many more.

Jeffrey Eugenides was born in Detroit and attended Brown and Stanford Universities. His first novel, The Virgin Suicides, was published to great acclaim in 1993 and was made into a film directed by Sofia Coppola. His second novel, Middlesex, won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction and was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award.

“The mix chosen by Eugenides is wonderful. . . . And it is a bigger thrill to realize that however painful the heartbreak, love offers real rewards—and these stories are among them.” — Los Angeles Times

“Wonderful . . . Eugenides has chosen splendid work.” — Washington Post Book World

“The 27 short stories in this collection provide healthy doses of longing and disappointment, but reading them is thoroughly enjoyable, like diving into a box of fine chocolates and savoring the bitter along with the sweet…the book makes a great Valentine’s Day gift for spouses, friends or lovers.” — Lisa Ko, author of The Leavers

“The wonder of ‘My Mistress’s Sparrow Is Dead’ is that it manages to capture a deep as well as broad range of this funny thing called love… By focusing on literary merit, Eugenides has produced a treasury worth holding dear.” — Christian Science Monitor

“Cupid is rarely kind in “Sparrow,” but his arrows are always razor-sharp.” — San Antonio Express-News

“I can…recommend one very good gift for this Valentine’s Day: My Mistress’s Sparrow Is Dead” — Kansas City Star

“Eugenides has made wonderful choices from writers both classic and contemporary.” — New Orleans Times-Picayune

"A perfect Valentine’s Day gift for lovers of literary fiction." — Kirkus Reviews