Tidings of Calm and Storm contains a dozen short stories of Midwest life in the U.S. throughout the 20th Century. Every story here is concise, intelligent and clearly written. This collection starts with a stark and violent stopover in "Indian Joe," and ends with a mysterious sojourn taken by the protagonist in "Communing With Angels." Though we can read each story separately, all of the stories are interconnected. The author once described the story "From Sparks to Flame" as being "about a harsh but potentially magical world that is slowly being gutted-out by small-mindedness." Other stories in this volume express a similar theme. However, through reading every story and coming to understand the various perspectives of all of the characters, we also sense that the world's magic is still within reach.