Ranging in location from St. Germain and Mexico City to a coldly bucolic New England, these individually wrapped dreams record the struggle of contemporary consciousness for placement and connection. Treat s narrators--American, female, mostly single--are cultural refugees given to obsession and passionate longing. In the complex title story, a woman attempts to imagine her friend s love affair, succeeding with such vividness that woman and friend begin to merge. In Radio Disturbance a character gradually becomes so attached to her therapist s voice that she insinuates herself into the woman...

This long-awaited third collection of stories by a master short story writer is sensual and cerebral.