19 stories of fierce beauty told in a deceptively simple voice. An old man, living by & off the river; A young boy watches helpless as his father dies at Christmas; A couple rekindle romance in surprising ways; Jack Autry, defying all odds and surviving, in spite of or because of the risks. These characters, among others, are presented with great compassion and with no pre-judgments. Standing to lose everything or having nothing to lose, they never lose their dignity or their honor. With these bold works, Paul Ferguson proves himself worthy of being regarded as a poet of the dispossessed. "A rising voice on the literary scene" People Magazine "He Ferguson] can write " Joan Didion, author: White Album, The Year of Magical Thinking "Here there are deep waters, but Ferguson never lets us sink. His voice is clear, the language sober and succinct." John F. Kelly, author: Tainting Evidence; Inside the Scandals at the FBI Crime Lab