The very best short stories and novellas from National Public Radio's Alan Cheuse are brought together in a quintessential collection. Countless listeners depend on the book reviews from Cheuse, America's voice of books, and many of those listeners also follow his own critically acclaimed fiction and non-fiction. The title story -- a flash fiction piece that acts as both prologue and an intriguing look at a writer's inspiration -- takes us through a child's eyes into a fantastic land, one that informs, shapes, and travels along with the other stories in this stunning collection. These stories deal with life, death, love, family, work, and a deep exploration of the soul.