Out of Line

Thirty-nine talented writers join us to explore through poetry, fiction, and memoir what it means, in this day and age, to explore the intricacies of the adoptive, half, step and in-law conditions from every position-parents, children, grandchildren, grandparents, uncles, aunts-and what it means for those many of us who oscillate between these conditions, often ­­­in more than one family constellation. Are families so important to us because that is where the experience of belonging originates-or where we're told it should? Historically the biologically nuclear family has been our norm. But it's no longer that straightforward. . . just ask around. We did-and have learned a great deal about the many permutations of belonging and family.