by Joan Silber
First published 2004
Joan Silber weaves together interconnected tales where characters navigate the twin pulls of spiritual devotion and physical longing. A minor figure from one story steps forward to anchor the next, creating a chain of human connection across different lives and circumstances. These individuals turn to both religious faith and sexual intimacy as sources of comfort and meaning. Their searches for transcendence play out in bedrooms and sanctuaries alike. Each person grapples with the same fundamental need for something beyond the ordinary, whether found in prayer or embrace. The stories reveal how people dedicate themselves to both sacred and sensual experiences with equal fervor. Silber shows characters who blur the boundaries between worship and desire, finding that both offer paths toward feeling less alone in the world.
Genres: short-stories, literary-fiction, contemporary, 21st-century
Vibes: intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: character-study, interconnected-stories
224 pages · Hardcover · W W Norton & Co Inc