First published in the Southern Review in 1940, Peter Taylor wrote "A Spinster's Tale" while he was still an undergraduate at Kenyon College. A rich and complex story, "A Spinster's Tale" touches on Taylor's recurring themes: family dynamics, gender conflicts, and, most importantly, life in the American South in the early twentieth century.

"A Spinster's Tale" is considered one of Taylor's finest short stories and is often praised for its honest depiction of growing up in the America South. Yet because it was published so early in Taylor's career, some critics believe that the story tends to be overlooked in favor of his later works.