Seize the Day deftly interweaves humor and pathos, capturing the climactic events of a single, transformative day. The story unfolds with Tommy Wilhelm, a man in his mid-forties, who finds himself temporarily residing in the Hotel Gloriana on the Upper West Side of New York City. Here, amidst the elderly retirees, he stands out as a figure of isolation.

This novella traverses a pivotal day in Tommy's life — his "day of reckoning." He grapples with his past mistakes and spiritual malaise, confronting his separation from his wife and children, strained relationship with his vain and successful father, and the failures of his acting career. A mysterious philosophizing con man offers him a moment of truth and understanding, shining a light on one last hope.

Les jeux sont faits is a captivating novel by Jean-Paul Sartre, exploring the complexities of love and betrayal beyond the grave. The story begins with a chilling conversation:

- Il m'a empoisonnée ?
- Eh oui, madame.
- Mais pourquoi ? pourquoi ?
- Vous le gêniez, répond la vieille dame. Il a eu votre dot. Maintenant il lui faut celle de votre sœur.

Ève, overwhelmed by the betrayal, murmurs in despair:

- Et Lucette est amoureuse de lui !

The old lady offers her condolences with a touch of irony:

- Toutes mes condoléances... Mais voulez-vous me donner une signature ?

Ève, in a state of shock, signs the register, marking her official death. The old lady's parting words resonate with eerie freedom:

- Parfait, conclut la vieille dame. Vous voilà morte officiellement.
- Mais où faut-il que j'aille ?
- Où vous voudrez. Les morts sont libres.

This novel delves into existential themes, questioning the nature of freedom and the afterlife, set against a backdrop of Sartre's philosophical insights.