ONE OF THE GREATEST AMERICAN SHORT STORY COLLECTIONS "In these stories the rural South is, for the first time, viewed by a writer who orthodoxy matches her talent. The results are revolutionary."—The New York Times Book Review   In 1955, with this short story collection, Flannery O'Connor firmly laid claim to her place as one of the most original and provocative writers of her generation. Steeped in a Southern Gothic tradition that would become synonymous with her name, these stories show O'Connor's unique, grotesque view of life—infused with religious symbolism, haunted by apocalyptic possibility, sustained by the tragic comedy of human behavior, confronted by the necessity of salvation. With these classic stories—including "The Life You Save May Be Your Own," "Good Country People," "The Displaced Person," and seven other acclaimed tales—O'Connor earned a permanent place in the hearts of American readers.