What may sound dark and bizarre in synopsis is actually entertaining and uplifting on the page. Brooks's 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's 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's hands peculiar seems to be synonymous with fascinating -- and often moving.

From the Book:
"A poor deer," said Marie.

"You're thinking of Bambi's mother," Sue said to her. "That's because you've never seen the deer around here up close, and also because you've never gone through several seasons of raising gorgeous perennials only to have some brazen deer mosey through your backyard nipping off the heads of every plant and killing them all. ... And let me tell you, they are thick, toothy, graceless things, except when they leap nimbly from the bushes out in front of a car and total it, killing two of the passengers."