Henry Carter Hull

In Brooklyn, Sam Fisher and her father Frank form a band together, cleverly titled "We Are Not a Band" based off Sam's sarcastic remark about their endeavor. Sam plays keyboard, while Frank strums the guitar. The two end up achieving unlikely success, but must ultimately decide whether hitting the big time is worth the cost of their close relationship, as well as Sam's plans to head off to college in the fall.

Traces the cultural process through which American women become married as reflected by the experiences of patrons at a family-owned bridal shop in Michigan, offering insight into how the rite of passage reflects national views on marriage.

A wealthy American is touring Morocco with his wife. The two become the focus of an international incident also involving a poor Moroccan farmer who is struggling to keep his two young sons in line and his family together. A San Diego nanny, with her employers absent, makes the disastrous decision to take her charges with her to a wedding in Mexico. A deaf-mute Japanese teen tries to deal with a relationship with her father and the world in general...

Henry Dunbar, the once all-powerful head of a global media corporation, is not having a good day. In his dotage he hands over care of the corporation to his two eldest daughters, Abby and Megan, but as relations sour he starts to doubt the wisdom of past decisions. Now imprisoned in Meadowmeade, an upscale sanatorium in rural England, with only a demented alcoholic comedian as company, Dunbar starts planning his escape. As he flees into the hills,...

Back in the late '80s, Randy 'The Ram' Robinson was a headlining professional wrestler. Now, decades past his prime, he barely gets by working small wrestling shows in VFW halls and as a part-time grocery store employee. He faces health problems that may end his wrestling career and is attempting to come to terms with his life outside the ring. He wants to reconcile with the daughter he abandoned in childhood and begins a relationship with a stripper....

After a day of fun at the circus, a little girl has a very important question for her daddy.

Packer's sterling collection of stories is framed by two novellas: "Walk for Mankind" about teenager Richard Appleby and his bittersweet relationship with Sasha Horowitz, a rebellious, risk-taking 14-year-old, who has a clandestine affair with a drug dealer; and, "Things Said or Done" set three decades later, when Sasha, now 51 and divorced, has become Richard's caretaker.

Mina the mouse is very upset when her father brings home a pet "squirrel" that she is certain is a cat.