I knew this would be a great collection when I spotted this at the bookstore. Reasons to Live contains a collection of fifteen wonderful, witty and sometimes poignant short stories that make you think of the loss of opportunities one has in life. Amy Hempel, who also wrote the beautiful Tumble Home, writes with aplomb and insight of a classic writer. My favorite stories are "Nashville Gone to Ashes," "Going," "Pool Night," and "Why I'm Here." Once again, Amy Hempel has floored me with another impressive, beautiful collection. I will definitely give her other books a whirl.