In the Land of Dreamy Dreams
by Ellen Gilchrist | 
Drunk with Love
by Ellen Gilchrist | 
Victory Over Japan
by Ellen Gilchrist | 
I Cannot Get You Close Enough
by Ellen Gilchrist | 
Acts of God
by Ellen Gilchrist | 
At the Gates of the Animal Kingdom
by Amy Hempel | 
Here We Are in Paradise
by Tony Earley | 
I, Rhoda Manning, Go Hunting With My Daddy: And Other Stories
by Ellen Gilchrist | 
Charity
by Mark Richard | 
Aliens of Affection
by Padgett Powell |
Where You'll Find Me
by Ann Beattie | 
Brief Encounters with Che Guevara
by Ben Fountain | 
What Was Mine
by Ann Beattie | 
Things that Fall from the Sky
by Kevin Brockmeier | 
Varieties of Disturbance
by Lydia Davis | 
You Think That's Bad
by Jim Shepard | 
Nice Big American Baby
by Judy Budnitz | 
Rhoda
by Ellen Gilchrist | 
The Angel on the Roof
by Russell Banks | 
Pack of Cards
by Penelope Lively |
In her exuberantly funny, bittersweet collection, Ellen Gilchrist offers 16 stories that delve into the vibrant lives of her signature strong-willed women. Ranging from hilarity to despair-innocent children bewildered by their elders' behavior, a writer living on Xanax, and a socialite seeking a health cure only to find romance instead of rest-Gilchrist's high-spirited characters always tend to find themselves in outrageous situations. The beloved and feisty Rhoda Manning returns, fighting the lure of the bottle while relentlessly going after her dream of becoming a famous writer. And while the restraint of family and society continues to haunt Gilchrist's characters, they prove fearless and deliciously carve their own chaotic paths toward survival. Set in Fayetteville, Arkansas and New Orleans, Louisiana, the tales are artfully fashioned, providing tastes of marvelously trouble-prone people at every stage of life. Packed with humor, sexuality, and ever true to human weakness, this collection is romantic and full of passion-a treat in which readers will happily indulge.