<DIV>A middle-schooler attempts to bring a mix tape to a girl he has a crush on, a girl whose star-athlete brother has recently died. A father joins forces with his ex-wife and a renowned intervention specialist to rescue his daughter from a UFO cult. The eight stories that make up Jeremy Griffin's debut are tender glimpses into the sorts of lives most of us know best: lives of wonder dashed with occasional clumsiness, lives lived by people ultimately out to do the very best they can. This is a book of prose so natural and crafted it reads like overheard thoughts. <i>A Last Resort for Desperate People</i> marks the debut of a powerful writer with a distinct, endlessly engaging voice and vision of the world.</div>