The "funny, wise, and wonderful" (USA Today) book of short stories that won the National Book Award and established Ellen Gilchrist as a leading writer of the American South. In her second collection, Ellen Gilchrist creates an unforgettable group of Southern women, enchanted and enchanting, who cavort through life, in and out of bars, marriages, and divorces, through the world of art and culture, drug busts, lovers' arms, and even earthquakes, in an attempt to find, if not happiness, at least some satisfaction. Throughout these stories, one hears echoes of Flannery O'Connor and Eudora Welty, but Ms. Gilchrist has her own unique literary voice -- and it is outrageously funny, moving, tragic, and always appealing. "Ellen Gilchrist is terrific." --Norman Mailer "This book is a delight." --Cleveland Plain Dealer