Searoad is a set of interlinked mainstream stories about the fictional coastal Oregon town of Klatsand. Like some of her other work, sometimes the writing gets too diffuse to sink my teeth into, but her ability to get character across in tiny details is on full and impressive display. Quiet reflective stories of characters interacting. The longest piece, "Hernes", has some semi-autobiographical details as it follows vignettes in the lives of multiple generations of women in one family in the town. Sadly, I found this the most diffuse and non-linear and my attention wandered.

I hesitate to say my favorite of the collection is "Bill Weisler", since it's the only one that focuses primarily on a dude. But, hey, it won a Pushcart Prize in 1991. So at least I'm not alone.