Cather`s first short-story collection (1905) includes seven stories about art, artists, the West, and the literary world of the East Coast; the theme of all of them is the search for beauty in an imperfect world. The book was very successful, and on its strength she was hired as managing editor of McClure`s Magazine, a New York monthly. Stories include The Sculptor`s Funeral and the much-anthologized masterpiece, Paul`s Case.