Kreuz und Quer, Dritter Band Neue gesammelte Erzählungen

In this lively collection of short tales, the first story transports listeners to the quiet river town of Perryville, Arkansas, on an October day in 1862. As the Civil War’s echo reaches the backwoods, the community’s ordinary rhythm is disrupted by a sudden influx of armed riders, soldiers in makeshift uniforms, and the uneasy tension between Union sympathizers and secessionist whispers. Gerstäcker paints the landscape with vivid detail, from the untamed forests bordering the Fourche‑la‑Fave to the modest farms that have long survived in isolation.

The remaining stories shift across continents and cultures, ranging from exotic adventures with a Mexican bandit to a gritty boxing match in Cincinnati, each infused with humor, curiosity, and a sharp eye for human folly. Together they offer a panoramic glimpse of 19th‑century life—its wanderers, its conflicts, and its unexpected moments of camaraderie—inviting listeners to explore a world both rugged and surprisingly intimate.