Set in Rembrandt's Amsterdam, An Obscure Man is the story of Nathanael--innocent, open to experience--born like Everyman upon the stream of life. In A Lovely Morning, Nathanael's young son joins a touring company of Jacobean actors. Anna, soror . . ., the final tale, is an account of illicit passion in the baroque world of Naples. An Obscure Man swarms with life. This intricately researched, imaginative, beautifully written tale of a young man's brief life in the mid-17th century is entirely engrossing.--Leona Weiss, San Francisco Chronicle In these three stories, [Yourcenar] succeeds in making the essences of these past lives a part of the reader's future through the sheer intensity of their portrayal.--Margaret Ezell, Houston Chronicle
