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“The Swimmer” is a short story written by John Cheever, first published in The New Yorker in 1964. The story follows the journey of Neddy Merrill, a well-off suburbanite, who decides to swim his way home through the backyard pools of his neighbors. As he progresses through the pools, he encounters different people and events …

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A Sorrowful Woman is a short story written by Gail Godwin that explores themes of depression, domesticity, and female identity. First published in 1971, the story has become one of Godwin’s most anthologized works. It tells the story of a woman who becomes increasingly erratic in her role as a wife and mother, leading to …

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