The Death of the Plover and Trace of the Buckskin By Marianne Gruber Translation and Afterword by Margaret T. Pascal Preface by Hans-Georg August

The Death of the Plover and Trace of the Buckskin are two short stories which depict the impending death of two elderly people and the strength and dignity with which they confront the end of their lives. In the remote Austrian province of Burgenland, estranged from their lesser fellow men, the protagonists review their pasts, relive their disappointments and failings, and demonstrate an independent spirit which enables them to face both their pain-filled lives and death honestly and courageously.

The reader interested in the philosophical issues of life and death, the psychological and physical problems of the elderly, and simple village life in Eastern Austria will find these poignant, human stories insightful reading.