Life and Other Shortcomings is a collection of linked short stories that takes the reader from New Orleans to New York City to Madrid, and from 1970 to the present day. The women in these twelve stories make a number of different choices: some work, others donāt; some stay married, some get divorced; others never marry at all. Through each characterās intimate journey, specific truths are revealed about what it means to be a womanāin a relationship with another person, in a particular culture and eraāand how these conditions ultimately affect her relationship with herself. The stories as a whole depict patriarchy, showing what still might be (and certainly what was) for some women in this country before the #MeToo movement. Both a cautionary tale and a captivating window into womenās lives, Life and Other Shortcomings is required reading for anyone interested in an honest, incisive, and compelling portrayal of the female experience.