Separate Kingdoms

FromValerieLaken,thePushcartPrize?winningauthorofDreamHouse,comesapowerfulcollectionofshortstorieschartingthedivisionsandcollisionsbetweenculturesandnations,familiesandoutsiders,andpartnersandmisfitssearchingforlove.SetinRussiaandtheUnitedStates,theseareboldlyinnovativestories—talesoffractured,misplacedcharactersmovingbeyondthebordersoftheirisolationandreachingfortheconnectionsthatwillmakethemwhole.Afamily,shakenbyanindustrialaccident,isdivided,itsmembersisolatedintheirhomeandonlyabletounderstandoneanotherfromtheirseparaterooms.AyounggaycoupletravelstoRussiatomeetthechildthey'redesperatelytryingtoadopt,buttheexperiencerevealsanemotionaldividebetweentheparents-to-be.Arecentamputeeremovesherselffromherbodytokeepherhusbandatbay.AndtheidyllicvillagelifeofablindRussianboyisdisruptedbyanAmericandentistandthewondersofracyWesternmagazines.SeparateKingdomsisarichandsatisfyingcollectionthattraversesthedistancesbetweenpeopleandplacesineachmarvelouslyrenderedstory.