The Benefits of Breathing: and Other Stories

As Roderick Clark says in the Foreword, "It's all about love, isn't it?" In "The Benefits of Breathing," Christopher Meeks's third collection of short stories, Meeks dives again into the human condition, particularly within relationships. As one reader wrote on Amazon, "Some authors need a lot of words to describe their worlds and their people. Christopher Meeks says a lot with a little." The Los Angeles Times has called his stories "poignant and wise." In this volume, "A Dog Story" captures a crumbled marriage and the love of a dog named Scrappy. "Joni Paredes" shows the birth of a new relationship that starts at a daughter's wedding. "Nestor by the Numbers" follows one man's often hilarious online dating experiences after he finally accepts his wife is gone. "Jerry with a Twist" shows an actor on an audition while his pregnant girlfriend helps him through a crisis. These and seven other stories will bring you into the special world of Meeks. As reviewer Grady Harp notes, "If you've previously discovered the idiosyncrasies of Meeks's writing style and content, rest assured that this new collection not only will not disappoint, but also it will provide further proof that we have a superior writer of the genre in our presence." "If you like Raymond Carver," said author David Scott Milton, "you'll love Meeks."