In this collection of brilliant, bite-sized satiric tales, Israeli author Etgar Keret chronicles the strange ironies that suffuse his characters' lives. A man goes to bed each night with his beautiful girlfriend, only to find himself five minutes later lying next to a short fat guy who watches sport; a faithful dog refuses to disappear, even after being shot; a little girl covets the glittery eyes of her schoolfriend; a man is surprised by a middle-eastern pessimistic talking fish; a daemon makes a living from repossessing young writers' talents...In stories as painfully funny as they are brief, Keret covers a remarkable emotional and narrative terrain, confirming his status as both Israel's bestselling young writer and new national conscience.