Now in paperback, the newest collection of stories from the acclaimed author of Do the Windows Open?, Was This Man a Genius?, and The Unprofessionals—a brilliant, complex work that delivers more of the exquisitely funny and beautifully observant prose that draws ardent praise from critics and readers.

• An exceptional author: Julie Hecht’s fiction has appeared in The New Yorker and Harper’s, and her books have received spectacular reviews from The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, Time, and many other publications. All of the author’s books have been named New York Times Notable Books.

• A singular character: At her first appearance, Hecht’s anxious, beguiling, and anonymous photographer-narrator was an instant literary icon. Her strategies—macrobiotics, herbal remedies, a bit of Xanax—for surviving civilization’s decline have established her as one of the most enthusiastically read voices of the last decade.

• Our postmodern world, re-examined: With an unwavering gaze on the absurdities and ironies of the larger world, Happy Trails to You recounts the narrator’s attempts to find a place of unspoiled nature on the once peaceful island of Nantucket, where power mowers, nail guns, and speeding trucks have blocked out the sounds of birdsong and crickets. A visit to a friend or restaurant touches upon every subject from the color of paint to the world situation and infinity.