A collection of short stories by an author first read in the NYRB.  The stories are very strong on character, interpersonal relationships and the current world.  Pretty grim, the six stories tell tales of NYC and a nephew, uncle, sister and brother-in-law post 9/11, a gay brother and his autistic sister and other siblings and his saintly partner; a 28 year old girl who has stolen her weird lover’s truck and two year old son and fled to her estranged sister after being beaten up; a granddaughter from LA visiting her stroke-stricken grandmother and dealing with her siblings; a woman fresh from a spontaneous sexual encounter dealing with her adolescent son and probably indictable husband.  No silver linings here except for the beautiful writing.