A collection of short stories by Saki. I didn't understand a couple of them - the ones that seemed to be mostly about the Balkan Wars? But obviously I enjoyed the mockery of Edwardian high society. ( )

Sharp collection of short stories by Munro, who died during World War I and thus had his career cut short by a combat death. A number of the entries are either hilarious (such as the title story, which is a sharp rebuke to those trying to induce children to take up "peaceful" toys), or have a definite bite to them. A number of references to contemporary politics (such as unrest in Mexico or Albania, or the suffragette movement) betray the ca. 1910-1914 time period in which the stories were written, but remarkably, the stories by and large hold up. Well worth picking up. ( )

A collection of short stories by Saki. I didn't understand a couple of them - the ones that seemed to be mostly about the Balkan Wars? But obviously I enjoyed the mockery of Edwardian high society. ( )