At the heart of this collection of seven stories is the masterful tale "The Private History of a Campaign That Failed." Part autobiographical account of Twain's adventures in the Civil War and part fiction, the story is by turns brimming with satire and a sober indictment of the cruel realities of war. Also included are "A Curious Experience," the account of a boy whose fantasy world collides with the real world during war time, and "The Invalid's Story," the tale of a man escorting what he believes to be the casket of a beloved friend but for a calamitous mix-up.