Winner of the Mary McCarthy Prize: “An entire book of good stories is rare. You are holding just such a book” (Chris Offutt, writer, True Blood and Weeds).
“What happens when we let our most coveted relationships deteriorate under the stress of plain ol’ everyday living? Leung reveals a plethora of fascinating answers with beautiful, concise prose and unwavering empathy”—not to mention a diverse collection of characters: A 4'10" small-town Asian girl who reinvents herself as a Los Angeles porn star; a Chinese American chicken farmer contemplating the motives for a stranger’s suicide; a long-time gay couple on a life-changing trip home; a pair of fourth-grade outsiders who vent their frustrations on a doll made of bread; and a hapless store clerk conned into sharing a joyride with a serial killer (Entertainment Weekly).
Overriding stereotypes of age, race, gender, and sexuality, Brian Leung, a “master storyteller” (Booklist) and Lambda Literary Award-winner, “offers stories almost radical in their humane inclusiveness (Kirkus Reviews).