by Maile Meloy
First published 2019
This anthology cannot be summarized as a single narrative since it contains fifteen stories by different authors, including Maile Meloy. The collection focuses on characters living west of the Continental Divide. A single mother works to preserve her identity while caring for her autistic son. A widow confronts death during what begins as a healing hike. A train wreck survivor wanders the desert, questioning his purpose after his injuries. An elderly cowboy travels highways on horseback, representing the last of his kind. Even Sasquatch searches for companionship in unlikely places. A divorced woman attempts to bridge the gap between her former life and current reality. These stories capture the American West's contradictions: untamed wilderness alongside urban centers, developing areas next to ghost towns. The characters reflect the region's cultural diversity while navigating landscapes that can inspire and threaten in equal measure. The collection balances humor with terror and heartbreak, revealing how geography shapes identity in a territory defined by both opportunity and isolation.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, contemporary
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, slice-of-life
Setting: Continental Divide, United States, West
Period: 21st-century
380 pages · Paperback · Baobab Press