In these tales of the Mississippi River and the vast, semi-arid region beyond it, characters as diverse as a middle-aged, childless couple who helm a packet boat, in 'Queen Hortense, ' and a social-climbing young woman who pretends to ski in 'An Impressionist Storm, ' confront hardships, obstacles, and personal challenges. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization...