'Fortune Smiles' is a stunning collection of six stories that delve into the depths of humanity in the shadow of extraordinary circumstances. Through Adam Johnson's imaginative pen, readers are whisked away into the lives of characters who find themselves in situations that are as challenging as they are illuminating. A programmer finds solace in a digital projection of the U.S. president while grappling with his wife's illness; a Louisiana UPS driver navigates a post-hurricane environment while seeking his son's mother; and a man's past as a Stasi prison warden in East Germany catches up with him in unexpected ways. With its title story, 'Fortune Smiles' brings to life two North Korean defectors acclimating to life in Seoul, haunted by memories and obligations. These narratives are not just stories; they are windows into the resilience of the human spirit and the world's many unseen corners.