All That Remains (by Bruce Brooks)

What may sound dark and bizarre in synopsis is actually entertaining and uplifting on the page. Bruce Brooks' trademarks are his respect for intelligence, both that of the reader and of his characters, leading to the kind of subtle and clever dialogue more often seen on The West Wing than in children's books, and the wicked way he applies that intelligence to sports description. Both are amply on display here.

Hockey and golf are Brooks' favorite sports, and they figure prominently, and to great effect, in the second and third stories respectively. But it is in the first story that he lets loose what he calls "a more dicey aspect of my humor, a less classical narrative sense, and generally more peculiar subjects and shadows." A reviewer couldn't describe it better, except to say that in Brooks' hands peculiar seems to be synonymous with fascinating -- and often moving.