Masha'allah and other stories

the long version

"Set in the lively and unpredictable landscape of East Oakland, Masha'allah and Other Stoires brings readers deep into the varied lives of remarkable individuals at the fringes of dominant culture. In each of these nine tales, Young invites us into the worlds of a diverse cast of genuine, hard-working people: we take a ride with a hired driver who gets more than he bargains for with an unusual fare; we meet a day laborer whose search for work leads him to the edges of human sacrifice; we join a plucky house cleaner named Chinta, who sets up impromptu beauty parlors in the houses she cleans. Shining not only with literary power but with eye-opening freshness and honesty, Young's fiction reflects our unflagging allegiances to love, family, luck, and hope"--Page 4 of cover.