Mendocino and Other Stories (Vintage Contemporaries) - Softcover

"Precisely observed.... Packer has a knack for rendering with economy and eloquence those rare interludes of grace that come upon her characters unannounced." --The New York Times Book Review

"Well crafted....Packer's real strength is her slightly skewed vision and sharp eye for detail that reveal the cracks and fissures in the most ordinary of lives, loves and losses." --The Washington Post Book World

"Her writing is graceful and effortless, yet as controlled and purposeful as a nest-building bird." --San Francisco Chronicle

"Gracefull written and instantly captivating. . . . Packer . . . finds a compassionate balance between her characters folly and fortitude."--The Plain Dealer

"Consistently engaging. . . . Packer [has an] uncanny ability to hold back until the perfect moment and tehn reveal the deepest heart of her characters." -- Los Angeles Times Book Review

A collection of short fiction that originally appeared in Ploughshares, The New Yorker, and other literary periodicals includes the title story, "Nerves," the O. Henry Award-winning "Babies," and seven other tales that explore the lives of ordinary but memorable characters. Reprint. 15,000 first printing.