In 1986, writer Andre Dubus was struck by a car. He lost one leg above the knee and the use of the other, putting him in a wheelchair. This is his second collection of essays. Dubus tries to receive the Eucharist daily and claims it has helped him sustain his belief in God. As a Catholic, he views sacraments as outward signs of God's love. In one essay, Dubus muses on how the lunches he makes for his daughters are sacramental. "There are seven times seventy sacraments, to infinity," he writes.

This Christian perspective informs the other pieces in the collection. Dubus writes about his sister's rape and her attempt to forgive the man who violated her. He ponders the lessons learned in his first real job in the world and from a gift from his father. There is a touching piece on Dubus's up-close encounter with Liv Ullmann. And, we learn of the author's daily battle with sorrow; his efforts to move slowly; and his anger at Amtrak for not providing wheelchair access to train bathrooms. These stout-hearted essays are vibrant with the passion and creativity of Andre Dubus, an extraordinary writer.