The characters roaming this collection of seventeen stories variously discover that they, despite their best efforts, are living damaged lives.  From the mountain trout streams of Appalachia to the rugged beaches of the Pacific Northwest to the flat farmlands of Ohio to the canals of Venice, Italy, the inhabitants of the fictional landscape of Escapee explore ways to repair that damage.  And in some small way, they usually succeed.  With humor, imagination, and tenacity, ordinary people attempt to navigate escape routes through the complicated obstacles thrown in their paths, seeking a way out—or a way in.  Narrated in a spare, direct style, Tim Poland's stories present determined, often troubled, but resilient characters who do not merely flee. They escape into life—and survive.


"...the prose sparkles, as Poland endows the commonplace...with a startling power."  --The Roanoke Times

"...raises the bar on the art of the short story, truly a master of this difficult genre."  --Bedford Book Festival