In these eleven unforgettable stories, Richard Bausch plumbs the depths of familial and marital estrangement, the gulfs between friends and lovers, the fragility and impermanence of love—and manages to find something quite surprising: human hope. "A writer at the very top of his form. . . . So emotionally insightful, so masterful in subtle manipulation of plot and theme that the sheer beauty of the stories’ construction will move you almost as much as what happens in them.”—San Francisco Chronicle With his signature grace, penetrating wit, and richly nuanced prose, Bausch explores the fragile bonds between husbands and wives, parents and children, friends and lovers—the gulfs that can open even in our most intimate connections, and the impermanence of love itself. Yet amid the estrangement and yearning, the miscommunications and betrayals, glimmers of resilient hope emerge. From the poignant unraveling of a long marriage to the bittersweet musings of a widower facing an uncertain future, these masterfully crafted tales showcase Bausch's unparalleled talent for illuminating our most profound human experiences.