Metal Lighters and Their Woes

The book Metal Lighters and Their Woes by Lauren Kelley is a collection of four short stories. These stories revolve around different themes such as excitement, danger, and therapy.

"Incendiarism", captures the thrill and danger of fire. It follows Toby, a man who finds excitement in the flame, however, his love for fire leads to catastrophic consequences.

The second story, "Ataraxia", centers around Chad, a man with anger management issues stemming from childhood trauma. He begrudgingly attends therapy and meets Lucas, his therapist, who is determined to help him overcome his issues. As the story progresses, we see Chad's struggle to confront his past and learn to manage his anger.

"Reticence" is a story about Josiah, who is struggling with quitting smoking. A few packs smoked in a downward spiral, and his brother attempts to talk him through his spiral. Josiah has to choose what he wants - a life with nicotine, or without it.

The final work in this collection titled "Anhaga", follows a mentally unwell man as he stalks a family through a camera. Driven by delusion, or desperation, his actions unfold with grave consequences as he tries to save a child from unknown danger.