Over two decades, Andre Dubus has proven himself an essential American writer. "He restores faith in the survival of the short story" ( "Los Angeles Times" ), and now with his first collection in nearly ten years he demonstrates more powerfully than ever before both his mastery of the form and his understanding of our imperfect lives. In each of the fourteen stories in "Dancing After Hours," Dubus uncovers the mystery of ordinary life as his characters often perseverant, yet occasionally crazed by desire, loss, or disappointment wrestle with love, faith, and luck.