Swim Back to Me

by Ann Packer

An engrossing collection of short stories, which include:

Molten, in which a mother mourns her son by listening to his music;

Dwell Time, which chronicles a wife’s abandonment by her husband; and

Walk for Mankind, a tale of two young adults coming of age in different ways, only to be separated when they need each other the most.

Packer creates knowable and sympathetic characters and places them in real situations. What makes her writing unique is her appreciation for the difficult situations in life and her decision to present them, instead of ignore them.

2/14/12