"When Maurice Duggan... began writing, towards the end of the Second World War, New Zealand short stories tended to portray ordinary people in their own inarticulate form. Duggan erupted into this scene flourishing a mannered though vigorous elegance of style and an extensive vocabulary. In later years this aspect of Duggan seemed less singular, althouygh as a stylist he remained unsurpassed. It then became steadily clearer that the variety and panache of his langage was matched by his insight into the characters he was creating..."--Book jacket.