In seven short stories Malcolm Bradbury takes a subtly ironic look at a variety of targets: American academics, provincial Britain, the aspirations of social workers, psychologists, the well-intentioned. . .

In addition he delights us with an irreverent and hilarious series of parodies of some of the greatest paradigms of the British and American literary scenes: a passage from Iris Murdoch''s little-known The Sublime and the Ridiculous; Muriel Spark (a whole novel); the fifth volume of Durrell''s Alexandria Quartet; John Osborne; J. D. Salinger and many more.

''A very funny book indeed. Malcolm Bradbury is a satirist of great assurance and accomplishment'' Observer

''Bradbury''s eye is sharp, his trigger-finger steady and unafraid, and his range and explosive power devastating'' The Times