Dream Life of Astronauts : Stories by Patrick Ryan (2016, Hardcover)
The Dream Life of Astronauts by Patrick Ryan is a collection of nine short stories set in and around Cape Canaveral, Florida, showcasing the author’s masterly understanding of regret, hope, relationships, family, and the universal longing for love. The stories balance heartbreak with wry humor as they follow characters navigating their own personal struggles and dilemmas. From a would-be Miss America to a NASA engineer to a Boy Scout troop leader, Ryan’s characters grapple with issues of identity, betrayal, and connection against the backdrop of landmark moments in space exploration history, such as the first moon launch, Watergate, and the Challenger explosion. The Dream Life of Astronauts is a poignant and engaging read that explores the complexities of the human heart.