Publisher's Synopsis
The stories are linked by a narrative framework.
At the beginning and end of the book are "Leaves from Leah's Diary" William Kerby, a travelling portrait-painter, is in danger of losing his sight, and is required by his doctor to cease painting for a while. His wife Leah realizes that destitution threatens. He is a good story-teller, and Leah has the idea of writing down his stories and publishing them.
Each story has a prologue, which was added to the original story that appeared in Household Words.
