You Think That's Bad

Since Shepard's last short story collection, Like You'd Understand, Anyway, was nominated for a National Book Award, expectations are high for this latest effort, and it does not disappoint. There is no question concerning the breadth of research, ambition, and quality of writing that informs and characterizes this collection of short stories. In each story, Shepard displays a fascination with those moments when one world impinges upon another. Each character is mired in the past while simultaneously exploring bold new worlds and ideas, from the Arabian Desert to CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research). While the exotic locations and peculiar professions capture the imagination of the reader, they also accentuate the closeness each of the characters feel between the world they wish to transcend and themselves.