“This collection of new and revised novellas, fragments, and short stories is as varied and diverse as the settings and the characters who inhabit them. As in her previous works, National Book Award finalist Jones explores expansive themes through the perspectives of richly drawn, fascinating characters who are often out of place and time. . . . There is a dreamlike quality as we enter the minds of these characters that is inviting and effective. Even in the briefest of fragments. . . . the reader is left feeling full and satisfied.”
—Booklist, Starred Review

“A collection of glorious stories and rough fragments. . . . [T]hese stories sing. This is a gift for Jones’s fans.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Every Jones publication is a major event, but this one is particularly precious. This wide ranging collection of short fiction is only the second by one of our most lauded literary authors.”
—Oprah Daily

“Butter tells singing stories of characters navigating multiracial, multicultural societies.”
—TIME

“At this point, I will read anything Gayl Jones has written, and you should too. This is a collection of novellas and stories, some never-before-published and others substantially revised.”
—Karla Strand, Ms.

“Jones’s writing powerfully blends narrative and lyricism . . . Her imagination seems to thrive on outstripping one’s expectations.”
—Margo Jefferson