金石堂The critically acclaimed author of Refund returns with a new collection of stories that boldly examines the sense of instability that has grown stronger in American culture over the last two years through the increasing presence of violence, bigotry, sexual harassment, and the emotional costs of living under constant threat.
In the title story, the competition between two middle school cellists is affected by a shooting at their school and it is only years later when they realize how the intrusion of violence affected the course of their lives. In ＂This is Who You Are,＂ a young girl walks the line between Hebrew School and her regular school, realizing that both are filled with unexpected moments of insight and violence. In ＂Three Interviews,＂ an aging reporter must contend with her dwindling sense of self and resources, beleaguered by unemployment, which sets her on a path to three increasingly unhinged job interviews. In ＂Mrs. America,＂ a candidate for local office must confront a host of forces that threaten to undermine her campaign, forcing her to face her own role in the dissonance between what America is and what it should be.
