Vignettes and Sketches

While not as well known as his contemporary “Men of the Nineties” Hubert Crackanthorpe deserves equal attention. Associated with the decadent movement, he published accomplished fiction in the realist style. His stories often featured those on the fringes of society and focused on the grittier aspects of life. Included in this volume are Crackanthorpe’s travel vignettes, arguably his finest literary achievement, alongside a selection of his short sketches. Crackanthorpe died at the early age of twenty six and the modest collection of writings he left us stand not only as a sign of his potential but as significant works in their own right. Additional material includes commentary on Crackanthorpe by Henry James, Lionel Johnson and John McFarland Kennedy, as well as a poem written in tribute by Stopford A. Brooke.