"Pale Horse, Pale Rider" by Katherine Anne Porter

"Pale Horse, Pale Rider" by Katherine Anne Porter

Short Stories, Katherine Anne Porter, Influenza

Short story by Katherine Anne Porter set during the 1918 influenza pandemic. Miranda, the protagonist, falls ill, and her emotions and sensations related to her illness are explored in the text. In the end, she recovers, but her lover Adam, who persumably caught the flu while caring for her, does not. The story is said to have been inspired by Porter's own experience catching the flu in 1918.

Porter, Katherine Anne

Pale Horse, Pale Rider: Three Short Novels by Katherine Anne Porter

The Modern Library New York

1939

Full text available for viewing on the Internet Archive in a variety of forms. "Pale Horse, Pale Rider," in this publication, is on pages 179-264.

Short Story