In this collection of short stories, the harsh, unforgiving landscape of Wyoming serves as the backdrop for the struggles of isolated individuals attempting to carve out a life in the American West. The narrative framework shifts between various inhabitants of Elk Tooth and surrounding areas, each grappling with the physical demands of ranching, the weight of history, and the consequences of their own stubborn choices. Proulx utilizes a third-person perspective to examine the intersection of human ambition and the indifferent, often brutal, environment. These characters face internal and external pressures that test their resolve, often leading to outcomes defined by irony or quiet endurance.

This collection is widely recognized for its precise, evocative prose and its unflinching portrayal of life in the rural West. Critics often highlight the author's ability to balance harsh realism with a distinct, sharp wit that prevents the narratives from becoming overly bleak. The stories are frequently praised for their deep immersion in the specific cultural and geographical markers of Wyoming, which ground the characters' struggles in a tangible reality. Readers and reviewers alike note that the collection succeeds by focusing on the small, often desperate lives of its inhabitants rather than relying on romanticized tropes of the frontier. The work stands as a significant contribution to contemporary regional literature, noted for its technical mastery and observational depth.