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This book is Gissing's masterpiece of prose. The hermit Rycroft described in it is obsessed with books, natural scenery and reminiscing about his past life. In fact, it was Gissing who expressed his feelings and analyzed his inner world through Rycroft's autobiography. Therefore, this book is the most autobiographical collection of sketches. Gissing's own poverty-stricken life, his hobby and pursuit of literary masterpieces, and his yearning for a quiet life in nature are all fully reflected in the book. This book is divided into four parts: spring, summer, autumn and winter. It is beautifully written and fluently written. It is one of the treasures of short essays in British literature.

In Victorian England, there were over a million more women than men. These "leftover women" are unable to enter into marriage and struggle hard for their social roles and moral status. This book represents the lives of women from different social classes, truly depicts the late-Victorian scene, and reflects the early feminist movement.