In nine stories of choice, discovery, & change, the characters in this extraordinary debut collection ride the wavering line between commitment & promise. In "Claude Comes & Goes," a husband confesses affection for his wife's former lover who is dying. In "Dyaesthesia," a wife struggles with her responsibility for her adulterous husband after he is maimed in an accident. In the title story, a husband confronts his wife's breakdown & his own surfacing resentments. In language that is eloquent & moving, Kaplan's stories speak to the mystery & pleasure of friendship, love, & marriage. This startling & powerful collection is illuminated by keen insight & hope. "Reading these stories is like watching a window shatter in silence--we become mesmerized by the stark beauty of disintegration."--The New Yorker.

"Every story is moving & intelligent. [Ms. Kaplan's] images are so apt as to seem effortless."--The Economist.