Inland Passage

The stories in this remarkable collection by Jane Rule explore the relationships among men and women, women and women, and families -- both conventional and unconventional

From traditional families to relationships that break new ground, this anthology runs the gamut of human emotions.

The eponymous heroine "Dulce" is a self-proclaimed muse, witch, whore, "preying lesbian," and "devouring mother" who has a profound effect on the lives of the women and men around her. "His Nor Hers" tracks the unraveling of a marriage -- with unexpected results. "The Real World" explores the moral universe of a female mechanic who creates an unconventional family. In "A Matter of Numbers," a divorced math professor falls in love with her twenty-year-old student. And the title story introduces two women -- one widowed, one divorced -- who rediscover romance aboard a cruise ship.

Whether she's turning the spotlight on unfulfilled wives, frustrated husbands, friends, or secret lovers, Inland Passage is Jane Rule at her most insightful.