Improvement by Joan Silber tells the story of Reyna, a single Mom whose boyfriend just got out of jail and tries to get her into a smuggling job with him and his friends. When she backs out at the last moment, the consequence of that action echos around the globe to many people in many places whose lives are loosely linked by one tragic accident.

In this sparse and beautifully written novel, Silber weaves a wonderful tail rich in details and characters that have seemingly little in common. She explores loss and love, grief, family, connection, the ties that bind us, generosity in the face of tragedy and all the nuances that make us human.