Each of the nine stories in this collection centers on a transformative moment that alters the delicate balance of power between mother and son, or changes the way they perceive one another. Toibin writes of men and women bound by convention, by unspoken emotion, by the stronghold of the past. Many are trapped in lives they would not choose again, if they ever chose at all.

Contents:

• The Use of Reason
• A Song
• The Name of the Game
• Famous Blue Raincoat
• A Priest in the Family
• A Journey
• Three Friends
• A Summer Job
• A Long Winter
• One Minus One