All of Brady's stories are gritty and unflinching in their gaze, yet lyrical and rich in the imagery of stasis and change. There is much to learn in these tales of flawed but good people working hard to hold their lives together.

Catherine Brady is the author of three story collections, including the recently released "The Mechanics of Falling." Her short fiction has appeared in "Best American Short Stories 2004" and numerous journals and anthologies. She is also the author of a biography of a Nobel laureate, "Elizabeth Blackburn and the Story of Telomeres: Deciphering the Ends of DNA," and has a forthcoming book on the craft of fiction.