A body-pierced goth girl cage-dances for a living while putting herself through school. A New York City academic reevaluates her closest relationships while considering breast-reduction surgery. A chatty Gulf War veteran is plagued by a sexual identity crisis. The characters in this debut short story collection search for meaning through the crucible of sex. Joseph Salvatore's top-notch literary writing coaxes readers into murky territories as characters spiral deeper into existential rabbit holes.

Joseph Salvatore reviews fiction for The New York Times Book Review. He...