In this deeply appealing and engaging collection of essays, Sven Birkerts looks back through his own life, as well as at the generations before him and ahead at the lives of his children. Through vignette-style meditations, Birkerts plunges readers into remembered incidents and resurfaces a few pages later with surprising and provocative new perspectives. Written for readers from all backgrounds, Birkerts' simple, clear prose beautifully depicts the scars, flaws, idiosyncrasies and fears many can relate to.