Carnival is an animated collection of works from every stage of Isak Dinesen's career. Many were written during her most creative years but set aside; others she wrote "just for entertainment." The collection includes "Second Meeting," her last work, and the title story, the first written under her now-famous pen name. None of these stories has previously appeared in book form in English. Three of them were translated especially for this collection by P. M. Mitchell and W. D. Paden.

"The editors have included only material that will stand easily with her more familiar work and satisfy her large following. . . . The rough drafts and variant treatments have been set aside for scholars."—Joseph McLellan, Washington Post

"The wit, the imagination, the elevated philosophical dialogue mark most of the stories in this volume as vintage Dinesen . . . of special interest to Dinesen fans."—Robert Langbaum, New York Times Book Review