A little horror, a little humor, a little history, and you have The Violence. From the surreal brutalities of the Falklands conflict and the sport of fox tossing to the indignities of rat extermination and seduction by Kenyan boy toys, from the musings of doomed Irish nationalists and fascist girlfriends to dystopian Celtic futures and nightmare family vacations, the intensity of this debut collection is matched only by its stories' humanity. With wit and disarming levity, Rob McClure Smith leads the reader to an uncanny wisdom regarding the assaults that can be withstood and the dignity that endures.