Saroyan (1908–1981) was a master of the short story. The work reviewed was the first collected volume he published (it contains 26 short stories). It became an immediate bestseller and he was recognized as the most talked-about literary discovery of 1934. The title was inspired by the refrain of a popular folk song.

The stories are independent from one another, but they can be read as chapters that dissect the feelings, concerns, and miseries of the human race. His style offers a balance between stark realism and the poetic.