"Little jokes of life. A collection of short stories with several sketches of everyday life under the title A Few Withered Characters" - this is the name of the work of the outstanding English writer Thomas Hardy. In each story, the author reproduces ironic images of heroes whose lives are woven by the unpredictability of the plot, confusing relationships and their own destinies. In each thread of the tale, Hardy puts the reader in front of a layer of felt and sharp life questions that pierce the soul and leave many questions about the true essence of human relationships. The work, written in an exquisite manner, transports the reader to the atmosphere of Victorian England, inviting everyone to immerse themselves in the world of subtle irony and deep morality.