"Originally published by Nan A. Talese ... in 2000"--Title page verso.

The bridge -- The Toronto Star, 1945 -- The blind assassin : perennials for the rock garden -- The hard-boiled egg -- The Globe and Mail -- The park bench -- The Toronto Star, 1975 -- The carpets -- The Globe and Mail -- The lipstick heart -- The Colonel Henry Parkman High School home and school and alumni association bulletin, 1998 -- The presentation -- The silver box -- The Button Factory -- Avilion -- The trousseau -- The gramaphone -- Bread day -- Black ribbons -- The soda -- The cafe -- The Port Ticonderoga Herald and Banner, 1933 -- The chenille spread -- The Mail and Empire, 1934 -- The messenger -- The Mail and Empire, 1934 -- Horses of the night -- Mayfair, 1935 -- The bronze bell -- The fur coat -- The weary soldier -- Miss Violence -- Ovid's Metamorphoses -- The button factory picnic -- Loaf givers -- Hand-tinting -- The cold cellar -- The attic -- The Imperial Room -- The Arcadian Court -- The tango -- The houndstooth suit -- Red brocade -- The Toronto Star, 1935 -- Street walk -- The janitor -- Mayfair, 1936 -- Alien on ice -- The steamer trunk -- The fire pit -- Postcards from Europe -- The eggshell hat -- Besotted -- Sunnyside -- Xanadu -- Carnivore stories -- Mayfair, 1936 -- Peach women of Aa'A -- The Mail and Empire, 1936 -- The Top Hat Grill -- The laundry -- The ashtray -- The man with his head on fire -- The Water Nixie -- The chestnut tree -- Lizard men of Xenor -- Mayfair, 1937 -- Letter from BellaVista -- The tower -- The Globe and Mail, 1937 -- Union Station -- The cubicle -- The kitten -- Beautiful view -- Brightly shone the moon -- Betty's lunchonette -- The message -- The Globe and Mail, 1938 -- Mayfair, 1939 -- The Be rage Room -- Yellow curtains -- The telegram -- The destruction of Sakiel-Norn -- Gloves -- Home fires -- Diana Sweets -- Escarpment -- The golden lock -- Victory comes and goes -- The heap of rubble -- The blind assassin, epilogue : the other hand -- The Port Ticonderoga Herald and Banner, 1999 -- The threshold.