Stag Dance by Torrey Peters

Deep in the forest, a band of lumberjacks on an illegal logging operation plan a winter dance that some will volunteer to attend as women. In other times and places, the gender apocalypse is brought about by an unstable ex-girlfriend; a boarding-school romance surfaces intrigue and cruelty; and a Las Vegas weekender turns dark, as a young crossdresser is forced to choose between sexual frisson or unglamorous sisterhood. Acidly funny, provocative and inspired, this quartet of tales displays Torrey Peters’ keen eye for the rough edges of desire.