The Problem You Have

The Sisyphean characters in The Problem You Have may not be pushing a giant rock up a hill, but they are unlikely to ever get where they are going. Yet despite knowing that, they push on and work with graceful resignation. In McBrearty's newest collection, a diverse group of characters encounter turning points. A minor criminal seeking warmth on a frigid night climbs through a farmhouse window to discover more than he ever expected. A dying soldier recalls the man he left behind. In one horrible afternoon, a college professor realizes the only sanctuary is love. An over-the-hill pitcher refuses to get off the mound. A young couple meets the couple they never want to become. While some stories hold dark themes, McBrearty masterfully infuses the work with humor and compassion, rendering the characters within them relatable. Even with themes of loss or what might have been, the collection sings notes of what might yet be, for both the characters and the reader.

"Robert Garner McBrearty's The Problem You Have is a stunning collection of short stories that go straight to the heart. The characters are unforgettable, the prose rich and powerful." - Jack Smith, author of If Winter Comes: A Novel

"Robert Garner McBrearty is as thought-provoking as he is entertaining. His characters know what it's like to live with worries and regrets and hope that somehow everything will come out right in the end. Readers will know they already live in McBrearty's world." - Barry Kitterman, author of From the San Joaquin: Stories

Robert Garner McBrearty is the author of a novella and four additional short story collections, including When I Can't Sleep. He is the recipient of several awards, including the Pushcart Prize and the Sherwood Anderson Foundation Fiction Award.

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