Hamlin Garland's "Highways of Life" is a collection of short stories that deeply penetrates the realities of life in the American settled West at the end of the 19th century. The author reveals the realities of rural life, showing the hardships of farmers' lives, their struggle for survival, as well as the conflicts and contradictions that accompany their everyday life. Garland elevates our relationship with nature, society and ourselves to the highest forms and shows how each step on the "highways" can lead to extraordinary consequences. This book gives deep reflections on the grief and joy of life, on the limits of human capabilities and the insurmountable power of the human spirit.