Robert Gish's eight stories of the old and new West speak of the search for a region of the mind and heart, as much as for the places in which his characters act out their personal dramas. For some the West remains a place of renewal and hope, like Coronado's Quivira, promising escape from wrong starts and thwarted desires and offering the possibility of transformation. For others it is the graveyard of expectations, where harsh truths and unwelcome realities must be faced. Two stories deal with the transformations and disappointments of young men caught between their own needs for adventure and the demands of their families and communities. "The Quick and the Dead" tells of a first close encounter with death and spiritual transcendence. "Seeing the Elephant" is an exuberant coming-of-age story that explores the interplay between Hispanic and Anglo culture, between the masculine and the feminine, between innocence and experience. Other stories look into darker regions of the human heart. Written in a lyrical yet earthy style that reflects the dreams and ideals of his characters, Gish's stories probe the mysteries at the heart of human relationships.