Dog Years was the gold medal winner of The Commonwealth Club's 2017 California Book Awards in the first fiction category. This novel is a collection of emotionally and morally complex stories, many of which take place in the world of medicine. These richly layered stories juxtapose the miracles of modern medicine against the inescapable frustrations of everyday life: awkward first dates, the indignities of air travel and overwhelming megastore cereal aisles. Melissa Yancy’s personal experience in the milieus of hospitals, medicine and family services infuse her narratives with a rare texture and gravity. Keenly observant, offering both sharp humor and humanity, these stories explore the ties that bind.