"In this powerful collection of 11 short stories, Nelson's brilliantly constructed characters negotiate love, family, home and truth. Nelson consistently pays exquisite attention to detail, resulting in rich, vivid characters and settings. In 'OBO,' a family is gathered together for the holidays, their day reflected in the items on the kitchen table: 'sparkling glitter that stuck in the syrup... then later... came the peanuts and poker chips and whiskey.' In 'Kansas,' a wife's pregnancy ('a weapon he could plant like a bomb') keeps an unhappy marriage alive. In 'Party of One,' a woman secretly suffering from cancer meets her sister's adulterous lover in a bar to put an end to the relationship. While most of the stories in this collection have been previously published (many in the New Yorker), two are new: 'We and They' and 'People People.' Nelson writes with wonderful grace and skill, each word carefully chosen, each passage carefully constructed. This beautiful collection is another remarkable accomplishment for a writer often hailed as one of our most talented storytellers." Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

Praise for Nothing Right “Nelson, an astute observer of everyday conflicts, has skillfully mapped out life in this unforgettable collection, and sooner or later a reader will run into herself in a story, the character's troubles as real as the reader's own. Still, even more wonder comes when one realizes that Nelson, witty yet sympathetic, articulates our pains and troubles better than we do. Could it be that she knows us better than we know ourselves?” - San Francisco Chronicle “I dont know how I missed the extensively published and acclaimed writer Antonya Nelson, but Im glad my first encounter was this collection of short stories. They are funny in a dark, subterranean way, gracefully told, and populated by characters you wouldnt want to know but already know intimately… These difficult characters… may seem impossible to like, but because of Nelsons fluid skill and insight, you end up caring about them all.” Bust "Nelson never chafes against the limitations of her chosen form, the realistic, well-made story. Its the ideal medium for a writer who isnt afraid to remind us of the familiar, who values insight over epiphany." - New York Times Book Review 

“Those wondering whether the spirit of bohemian anarchy endures in todays hunkered-down Red America need look only as far as the marvelously reliable Wichita, Kansas native Antonya Nelsons latest story collection, Nothing Right... Nelson delivers convincing portraits11 of them hereof folks who are alarmingly drinking-positive, more than a little familiar with illicit drugs, and all too conversant in the language of infidelity…Sordid, cynical, and supremely romantic tales.”- Elle  “Stellar… never has anxiety been made as entertaining as it is here. Nelson deploys a quirky, far-reaching humor and resonant detail to describe both the quiet and not-so-quiet implosions of midwestern families as they attempt to cope with contemporary life…. Nelson is in complete command of her material here, infusing her stories with just the right shades of poignancy, humor, and heartbreak.”  Booklist, starred review 

“In this powerful collection of 11 short stories, Nelsons brilliantly constructed characters negotiate love, family, home and truth. Nelson consistently pays exquisite attention to detail, resulting in rich, vivid characters and settings… Nelson writes with wonderful grace and skill, each word carefully chosen, each passage carefully constructed. This beautiful collection is another remarkable accomplishment for awriter often hailed as one of our most talented storytellers.” Publishers Weekly, starred review"The settings are Western and middle-middle class, but the characters defy stereotype... Nelson is at her best creating densely packed, almost novel-like family mini-sagas." Kirkus  “Delightfully messy…Nelson gives readers plenty to ponder as her frequently baffled characters struggle to make sense of the circumstances in which they find themselves…Readers who relish conflict will burn through the pages as the disasters pile up, while those who appreciate well-rounded characters will be impressed with the variety of responses to said disasters, which reveal just how strong, flexible, and adaptable human beings can be under pressure. This weary hymn to coping with life's cruelties is a tour de force.” Library Journal, starred review Praise for Antonya Nelson “Nelsons prose is precise and energetic, and her insights delight because they manage to be at once surprising and so right as to seem inevitable.” New York Times Book Review

“Nelsons great gift is her ability to create characters so lovable even in the face of their many flawsthat we will happily trail each one around for a while, scarcely caring if they are wrestling with a life-threatening crisis or taking the dog for a walk.” Village Voice “I scan the tables of contents of magazines, looking for Antonya Nelsons name, hoping that she has decided to bless us again. Shes absolutely one of my favorites among story writers today, and I envy the reader who has yet to discover her work.” Michael Chabon

“Nelson has a pitch-perfect ear for the rhythms and unspoken subtexts of domestic life, and especially for the ways a family balances old grudges with the need to practice forgiveness.” Francine Prose

“Any lover of realistic narrative fiction about actual and unglamorous people will be greatly rewarded by the work of Antonya Nelson. Her voice is sure, her wit is quick, her observations continually resonate and her honesty is unwavering.” Dave Eggers

“We see clearly what it is that the best young writers have to offera kind of pizzazz, the love of undercurrent, of voyeuristic intensity, a bewildered fascination with ritual as it has been undermined in our time, yet sustained, too, in an oddly moving way.” Raymond Carver

“Ive been a Toni fan ever since I read a story of hers called ‘The Salad on my second or third day of graduate school. I read her newest collection so fast the pages are singed.” David Foster Wallace  

Set in the American Southwest, and including one previously unpublished story, "Nothing Right" features poignant, hilarious, truthful explorations of domesticity and characters who try to keep themselves intact as their personal lives explode around them.