A boy decides to become a writer when he discovers that his inventions hold the power to entice the rich girl who has stolen his heart. An architect flees Constantinople with plans for an impregnable library. A strange gentleman tempts Cervantes to write a book that has never existed. And Gaudí, sailing to a mysterious rendezvous in New York, delights in a spectacle of light and steam, the stuff that cities should be made of. Gathered here for the first time - and some never before published in English - these stories showcase the talents of Carlos Ruiz Zafón, a writer beloved by millions of readers and a master who has left us too soon.