The Garden Party & The Fly: Level 500 Reader (H) (Matatabi Graded Readers)

Katherine Mansfield Murry (née Beauchamp) was born in Thorndon, New Zealand in 1888. Her family were wealthy and influential. In 1903, Katherine and her family moved to the UK. She attended Queens College, London, and developed an interest in writing. Upon graduation, she decided to pursue a career as a writer. In 1911, Katherine published In a German Pension, a collection of thirteen short stories. From 1915 to 1917, she wrote numerous short stories, including The Wind Blows (1915), Prelude (1917), and A Dill Pickle (1917). She became known as a master of short stories. In 1917, at the age of 29, Katherine developed tuberculosis. To get away from the cold winter in the UK, she moved to France. One of the most significant stories she wrote during her stay in France was Je ne Parle pas Français (1920) [I do not Speak French]. In 1921, Katherine travelled to Switzerland for medical treatment. Stories that she wrote in Switzerland include The Doll's House (1921), The Garden Party (1922), and her last story, The Canary (1923), in which a lonely woman describes her pet canary that has passed away. In October 1922, Katherine returned to France. In January 1923, she died at the age of 34 after running up some stairs. She was buried in Avon.

Doreen Lamb is an experienced English copyeditor and proofreader. She is based in the UK. Her interests lie in feminist literature and stories for young learners.

John McLean is an associate professor at Yasuda Women's University in Hiroshima, Japan. He oversees the Department of English Interpreting Stream. He is known for his interpreting work with some of Japan's leading athletes and film directors. In 2020, he subtitled Toshihiro Goto's award winning film "Hiroshima Piano" [Okasan no Hibaku Piano].