The six exquisite stories in NATURAL HISTORY are set largely in a small community in central New York State and portray some of Andrea Barrett’s most beloved characters, spanning the decades between the Civil War to the present day. In “Henrietta and Her Moths,” a woman tends to an insect nursery as her sister’s life follows a different path. In “Open House,” a young man grapples with a choice between a thrilling life spent discovering fossils and a desire to remain close to home. And in the magnificent title novella, “Natural History,” Barrett deepens the connection between her characters, bringing us through to the present day and providing an unforgettable capstone.

Andrea Barrett, winner of the National Book Award for her collection of stories SHIP FEVER, unfolds five pivotal moments in the lives of her characters and in the history of knowledge. She explores the thrill and sense of loss that come with scientific progress, and the personal passions and impersonal politics that shape all human knowledge.

In the fall of 1916, America prepares for war—but in the community of Tamarack Lake, the focus is on the sick. Wealthy tubercular patients live in private cure cottages; charity patients, mainly immigrants, fill the large public sanatorium.  But when the well-meaning efforts of one enterprising patient lead to a tragic accident and a terrible betrayal, the war comes home.