Strong female protagonists grace this collection of passionate stories dedicated to mothers, daughters, wives, and lovers. A woman splurges on an irresistible coat that becomes her; a feisty teenager who has grown up as her activist mother's poster-child realizes the strength of her own convictions; and a young peasant woman saved from drowning is suddenly drawn to her rescuer and hopeful about her life.

Feature stories include Kim Edwards' "The Story of My Life", read by Holly Hunter; Teolinda Gersào's "The Red Fox Fur Coat", translated by Margaret Jull Costa and read by Kathleen Chalfant; Allan Gurganus' "It Had Wings", read by Marian Seldes; David Haynes' "Taking Mis Kezee to the Polls", read by Michael Genet; D. H. Lawrence's "The Horse Dealer's Daughter", read by Jon DeVries; and Richard Russo's "The Whores' Club", read by Harold Gould.