Confused characters steer their way through complex relationships and sexual encounters in “Precarious: Stories of Love, Sex, and Misunderstanding,” Linfield alumnus Al Riske’s debut book.
“Precarious” is a collection of 15 short stories that capture what it’s like to be in love (and lust).
The stories take place in a variety of settings, including a church, a college student’s dorm room and the front seat of a car. A diverse group of characters move through these settings, but each person is driven by the common theme of relationships — both physically and emotionally.
The book chronicles types we know well: boys who struggle to balance their sexual impulses with their religious upbringings, married men who aren’t strong enough to resist women and characters who force themselves to choose virtue over desire but discover that the right choice doesn’t always feel gratifying.
Riske’s tales are relatable because most people have experienced them personally or witnessed them through an acquaintance.
However, he writes on a deeper level than most romance stories by portraying the complexities and consequences of sex rather than simply describing primal urges or inconsequential acts of passion.
Although these depictions don’t restore readers’ faith in humankind, from a married man who gives in to the woman next door to the boy who is wracked with guilt after becoming involved with the pastor’s daughter, they tell the truth about the ugly and unpolished parts of life.

Joanna Peterson
Culture reporter Joanna Peterson can be reached at [email protected]