I received this book free as my Kindle first selection. I read it in a day. It was somewhat thought provoking but sad. However, it did have a hopeful ending, and a couple of unexpected twists. Slight Spoiler Alert: the book contains marital infidelity and is primarily about losing ones self to marriage and family which while it is realistic, is depressing. If you are looking for a book to lift your spirits, this probably isn't it but if your looking something more realistic than the typical everyone lives happily ever after, this might do. I debated whether to give this 3 or 4 stars because it was well written, realistic, and it must not have been too bad if I read it in a day but after finishing it, I'm just depressed and want to cry because of the ruined lives and betrayals.

Let me be honest with you, reader: I reviewed this book only because I love short stories and those Amazon Vine people stuck their BASS in my face. I couldn't resist. Every past December I've gone to Borders to check out the Best American Short Stories. Once there, I run my fingers across it's smooth, white pages, skim the juicy content, and if it catches my eye, I buy. This year I took the easy way out and ordered a free Vine copy. With Steve Almond on the short list of the 2010 edition (his first!) how could I go wrong? Well, Steve's story, "Delicate Edible Birds" and a few others passed my interest test. Most of the writers' styles, however, were not my type. But do not despair! Preferences for style vary. Some people like big, fat, curvy sentences; others prefer them plain and tight -- alas, preferences for BASS vary like preferences for...well, the real thing.