Spanning twenty years, Bell's third collection of stories showcases his phenomenal literary range and his unwavering focus on characters looking in from the outside. Punks, hustlers, and lost souls of all ages and backgrounds are drawn with an exquisite eye for detail and astonishing compassion.

As in the title story, many of these pieces refer to popular songs like "Fall on Me" and "Summertime," or are centered around music ("Leadbelly in Paris"), and the settings travel the globe from New York to Paris to Haiti to London.

Bell, a finalist for the 1995 National Book Award and the 1996 PEN/Faulkner Award and winner of the 1996 Anisfield-Wolf Book Award for the best book of the year dealing with matters of race, once again affirms his status as one of our best writers, one "with an ear for the seemingly inaudible emotions of life" (Los Angeles Times).