First published 1988
A father stares at his daughter's empty bedroom, unable to pack away her clothes. A woman drives past her ex-husband's house every morning on her way to work. An elderly man talks to his deceased wife while making coffee in their silent kitchen. These characters populate Bausch's nine stories, each wrestling with absence. The father replays conversations he never had. The woman rehearses words she'll never say. The widower sets two cups on the counter out of habit. Their daily routines become rituals of remembrance. Small gestures carry enormous weight. A photograph on a mantle. A favorite song on the radio. A familiar scent in a crowded room. These moments pierce through ordinary life, bringing the past rushing back. Bausch shows how loss reshapes the simplest acts. His characters don't seek closure or healing. They seek ways to live alongside their ghosts.
Genres: short-stories, literary-fiction, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: character-driven, slice-of-life
240 pages · Paperback · Penguin Books