Triumph of the Egg and Other Stories

Sherwood Anderson (1876-1941) was a novelist and short story writer who has been recognized as one of the most innovative and important American authors of his time. He was a prolific writer, publishing seven novels and myriad collections of essays, memoirs, poetry and short stories. Anderson wrote in a characteristically simple prose style, and his unconventional techniques caused him to at first be written off. However, his unique exploration of the unconscious and its effect on behavior created very vulnerable, human characters that evoke sympathy from readers. "Triumph of the Egg and Other Stories" is a collection of fifteen stories published in 1921. It includes some of his greatest works: "The Egg," a story about the struggle to find success and happiness in the American Midwest, "I'm a Fool," about a young man who sabotages his chance at love because of his own feelings of inferiority, and "I Want to Know Why," about the confusion and desperation felt by a boy entering adulthood.