Behind the Curtain re-introduces the fiction of Fitz-James O'Brien to modern readers by presenting fourteen of his works, five here reprinted for the first time, that together suggest the development and range of his accomplishment as a short story writer. Editorial commentary on individual stories reveals O'Brien's attunement to the fashions, fads, interests, and concerns that manifested themselves in his adopted country, especially in New York City. The volume comprises, first, an introduction that sketches O'Brien's literary career and traces his development as a fiction writer. The...