HarperCollins
Adverbs by Daniel Handler

Adverbs is set in a near-future San Francisco, beset by volcanic eruptions and terrorist bombings. This dark dystopia is the setting for an unlikely collection of short stories exploring the common literary theme of love in all its forms – straight, gay, dysfunctional, unrequited and obsessive. Each chapter is named after an adverb, from “Immediately” to “Obviously” – and explores love with a deadpan and poignant accuracy. The cover design plays on the notion of identity, the faceless protagonist illustrating Handler’s focus on the ways in which people fall in love, not who they fall in love with.