by Lorrie Moore
First published 2014
A newly divorced man struggles to maintain his sanity while America prepares for war in Iraq. At a Georgetown fundraising dinner, a political dispute spirals into chaos as September 11th intrudes on the evening. A teacher receives an otherworldly visit from her dead friend and finds herself singing the national anthem in a surreal encounter. Two musicians watch their relationship crumble as neither pursued their artistic dreams nor found alternative directions. These eight stories capture people navigating major disruptions: raising teenagers, dating after marriage ends, confronting a friend's serious illness, embarking on romantic trips that go wrong. Moore examines how Americans cope when life shifts beneath them, when they risk new connections despite past failures. Her characters face both public absurdities and private heartbreak, finding themselves caught between tragedy and unexpected humor as they search for meaningful relationships in an uncertain world.
Genres: fiction, short-stories, literary-fiction, contemporary
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, slice-of-life
Setting: Georgetown, Iraq
Period: 21st-century
192 pages · Hardcover · Knopf