Donald T. Blume rejects the view that ""In the Midst of Life"", the second volume of Bierce's collected works, is his most important literary work. Instead, he posits that Bierce's original 1892 collection is his most definitive and authoritative opus.
This work is a portrayal of life among the rural poor of the early 20th century showing the struggle of a tough-minded woman who fought her entire life to overcome the obstacles that confronted women and the working poor.
A collection of sonnets written in a playful manner.