The book A Map of the World by Zev Good is an anthology of short stories. All of the stories are centered in the South. The stories deal with various topics, some of which we may be familiar with through the media. These topics range from people’s reaction to a school shooting to a man who is dying and ponders the choices he has made in his life.

The stories are very well-written and the editing was excellent. The characters were relatable and the storylines were clear and interesting. I think the story I liked the most was Decoration Day. It is the story of a five-year-old girl who bonds with her widowed Vietnamese aunt. Tammy’s uncle Vernon had fought in Vietnam and married Kim there. The story compares the old Southern style of grieving for one’s loved one (shown by Tammy’s Southern aunts and mother) and the Asiatic style. It is an informative and sensitively written story.

I highly recommend this book. I believe it will appeal to everyone because each story has a hidden gem that will shine a light on some memory in our lives. If I were to use a rating system, I would give this 5 stars out of 5.