In 'Maggie Brown & Others', Peter Orner captures the essence of human experience through a tapestry of forty-four short stories. Each story is a carefully crafted vignette, showcasing moments that define and change lives. Portraits of individuals at critical junctures—be it a spontaneous road trip leading to a surreal séance, or the unraveling of family history and its hidden sorrows—are woven with empathy and insight. At the heart of the collection lies a novella that traces the ups and downs of a forty-year marriage, mirrored against the backdrop of a working-class New England town's history. Orner's masterful storytelling presents a reflective examination of our choices and the echoes they leave through time.