My first exposure to the incredibly brilliant Edith Pearlman came in the form of her collection Binocular Vision. I want very much to write a helpful, detailed review but honestly I am nearly speechless in the face of such perfection. This writer sees the world with unfettered, original eyes. Her prose is not only flawless but elegant. Somehow, she has the chutzpah to capture the truth of how unglamorous life really is, while surprises -- so original that your heart skips a beat -- wait on every page. Pearlman is incredibly adept at mastering multiple points of view. Many good writers may do one thing very well and stick to their schtick and write lots of perfectly good stories or novels. Part of Pearlman's genius is that she is as comfortable as an eleven year old as she is at forty, or seventy, or whatever perspective unfolds in the story. She is able to both give the reader a real sense of the complexity of a situation while keeping it simple. When you finish reading (and re-reading) this book, you will put it on your shelf next to Chekhov. In fact, she is better than Chekhov. Nothing I can say will adequately prepare you for the genius of Edith Pearlman. So stop wasting your time on reviews, buy the book, and when it comes, call in sick to work and read. Every story will give you the pleasure of discovering something true. Edith Pearlman, thank you.