The men in Jess Walter’s pungent new story collection, We Live in Water, are coming apart. These men — and they are exclusively men, save a few catalytic female characters — are what society (and ex-wives) commonly label disappointments. Trading in ill-considered choices, they have made a habit of letting folks down — their women, their kids, their friends, their creditors and, chiefly, themselves. Walter’s protagonists endure a buffet of self-inflicted misfortune, everything from meth addiction to dodgy parenting, often served in a combo platter with a side of unlucky in love. His characters are all searching, with varying levels of commitment and insight. None succeed.