I bought this book after loving The Lecturer's Tale, so I was almost angry after reading this mediocre and often crude collection of novellas. I expected so much more -- I felt almost cheated. I found most of the writing to be sloppy and sometimes puerile. I suppose I could go into detail as to why, but the short version is...I just didn't like it at all. I'm glad that I'd already read The Lecturer's Tale, because I would never have done so had I read this book first. Don't bother.