The Nick Adams Stories presents a memorable character maturing from childhood to adolescence, and then into a soldier, veteran, writer, and parent. This sequence closely parallels events in Hemingway's own life.

The book is divided into five sections:

• Northern Woods: Includes stories like "Three Shots", "Indian Camp", "The Doctor & the Doctor's Wife", "Ten Indians", and "The Indians Moved Away".
• On His Own: Features "The Light of the World", "The Battler", "The Killers", "The Last Good Country", and "Crossing the Mississippi".
• War: Comprises "Night Before Landing", "Nick Sat Against the Wall", "Now I Lay Me", "A Way You'll Never Be", and "In Another Country".
• Soldier Home: Contains "Big Two-Hearted River", "The End of Something", "The Three-Day Blow", and "Summer People".
• Company of Two: Includes "Wedding Day", "On Writing", "An Alpine Idyll", "Cross-Country Snow", and "Fathers & Sons".

This collection beautifully captures the essence of Nick Adams' life journey through different phases, mirroring Hemingway's own experiences.