Abstract
Crisp confronts the unspeakable parts of memory, meditating on characters caught in isolation and struggling to make sense of grief, disappointment, and the occasional dinner party gone wrong. Along the way, these characters don't always make sound choices: a grieving widow pursues a priest, an unhappy wife whittles her husband to bits, and a melancholy man has a one-night stand with a whale trainer. In his debut short story collection, R.W. Gray deftly uncovers human reactions to loneliness and unrest through tales about relationships, secrets, and a longing to connect.