Trajectory by Richard Russo

I am not a huge fan of the short story, but this collection is really more the length of a novella.  The stories are all centered on University professors, college campuses, and those who write, which is a nice theme.  The crises that occur that form the center of each story are varied, and the solutions fit them nicely too.  I especially liked the story about a professor who has had trouble coping with a learning differences student and is on an Italian vacation with his brother to try to escape the trauma and shame.  He has a complicated relationship with his sibling, who has really done him wrong on a number of levels, but has somehow come out on the short end of the stick of life despite that (or maybe because of it).  In any case, there are some wise observations on life to be found here, and the short format allows for reading in a distracted environment as well.