The Angel of Rome: And Other Stories

"As good as Jess Walter’s novels are (2012’s Beautiful Ruins spent 69 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list), I think his short stories are even better. What I love most is his ability to blend laugh-out-loud humor with throat-catching heart. The characters in this collection – from the middle school teacher with a crush on his worst student’s mom, to the climate professors vying for a job during a freak Mississippi snowstorm, to the insecure college kid adrift in Rome in the title story – will surprise you, break your heart and ultimately leave you with a sense of hope for humanity."