Now I know why Bausch is the one who chooses what to put in Norton's short story collections, and I'd argue that someone needs to step up and insist he drop in some of his own work. These stories are some of the best short stories I've read--very possibly better than James Baldwin and Gloria Naylor who were my favorites until now. Certainly, this is the best full collection I've explored. They're unconnected, which is a change from the collections I usually enjoy. I've found that collections which hold only stand alone stories seem to repeat characters, themes, etc. without apparently meaning too. Here, however, they're eclectic, graceful, complete, and have just enough depth without Ever being too simple, and they're never cliched. I'd strongly recommend this collection--I'll be combing it later to decide which stories to bring into class because this is a writer worth teaching and discussing. Read it in bits and pieces if the length seems daunting, but if you're a short story reader at All, this is a great choice. ( )