With the profound maturity and exquisite eye for detail that never failed to capture readers of her prize-winning novels, Carol Shields dazzles with these remarkable stories. Generous, delightful, and acutely observed, this essential collection illuminates the miracles that grace our lives.

Segue -- Various miracles -- Mrs. Turner cutting the grass -- Accidents -- Sailors lost at sea -- Purple blooms -- Flitting behavior -- Pardon -- Words -- Poaching -- Scenes -- Fragility -- The metaphor is dead: pass it on -- A wood (with Anne Giardini) -- Love so fleeting, love so fine -- Dolls, dolls, dolls, dolls -- Invitations -- Taking the train -- Home -- The journal -- Salt -- Others -- The orange fish -- Chemistry -- Hazel -- Today is the day -- Hinterland -- Block out -- Collision -- Good manners -- Times of sickness and health -- Family secrets -- Fuel for the fire -- Milk bread beer ice -- Dressing up for the carnival -- A scarf -- Weather -- Flatties: their various forms and uses -- Dying for love -- Ilk -- Stop! -- Mirrors -- The harp -- Our men and women -- Keys -- Absence -- Windows -- Reportage -- Edith-Esther -- New music -- Soup du jour -- Invention -- Death of an artist -- The next best kiss -- Eros -- Dressing down.