"Chemistry: A boy and his grandfather try to cope with the arrival of a new man in the household and his effect on the woman who is their mother and daughter. The boy dreams of violence and the grandfather retreats to the only sanctuary he knows."--Back cover. "Learning to swim: On a beach in Cornwall, the nuances and memories of a stagnant marriage are explored by a man, a woman-and ultimately their son, as he finally learns to float in the sea and strikes out for a more independent emotional life."--Back cover.