Now, in this collection of interconnected short stories, Jennifer Haigh returns to the vividly imagined world of Bakerton, Pennsylvania, a coal mining town rocked by decades of painful transition. From its heyday during two World Wars through its slow decline, Bakerton is a town that refuses to give up gracefully, binding--sometimes cruelly - succeeding generations to the place that made them.

Stephanie decides to do something to get rid of crime and violence on her street, leading to a transformation of her school and neighborhood.

When he gets to be mayor of his small, peaceful town for a day, Davy decides to abolish all rules--which turns out to be a big mistake.