Henri René Albert Guy de Maupassant was a popular 19th-century French writer. He is one of the fathers of the modern short story. A protege of Flaubert, Maupassant's short stories are characterized by their economy of style and their efficient effortless dénouement. He also wrote six short novels. A number of his stories often denote the futility of war and the innocent civilians who get crushed in it - many are set during the Franco-Prussian War of the 1870s.
This is an odd series of short stories. Some are funny others are disturbing and one or two seem pointless. BTW I did learn that a becasse is a woodcock and that woodcock brain is considered excellent eating. Just crack their little heads open like a walnut and enjoy. Yikes!
Worth reading. Better yet listen, Maupassant is a hell of a writer.