Claire Vaye Watkins Books in Order

Ten stories explore the mythology and harsh realities of the American West. From a desert hermit's encounter with an abused teenager to the lasting consequences of youthful cruelty, the characters seek connection and redemption amid violence, isolation and troubled histories.

In a drought-ravaged Southern California, Luz and Ray survive by scavenging an abandoned mansion. Encountering a mysterious child sends them east in search of a better future, across a dangerous landscape shaped by scarcity and rumors of refuge.

Leaving her husband and infant daughter for a speaking engagement, a writer turns a temporary escape into a journey through her past. Postpartum depression and memories of her desert childhood force her to question marriage, motherhood and the life ahead.

Living in the Mojave, single mother Rose joins neighbors resisting an industrial solar project that threatens their desert. A renewed romance and her desire for another child draw her toward a different understanding of community, love and survival.