Missing Kissinger

In Keret’s second collection of short stories, we see once again how even apparent flights of fancy conceal biting criticism of our violent world. This is particularly prominent in military stories such as “Vaccum Seal” where an Israeli sageant abuses his new recruits to the point of despair. The hero thinks he can insulate himself from humiliation by sealing himself in cellophane, only to realize that it does not protect him from his inner pain. Other, apparently romantic stories, are ironic and dry. In “My Best friend,” a young man trying to seduce a girl manages to take her to his house. As they reach the door, they discover that it is wet with his best friend’s urine. This is enough for the girl, of course. “If your best friend pisses on your door, that’s got to mean something,” she says as she leaves. Like many of Keret’s lighter stories, the happy house of cards is knocked down and brings us back to bleak reality.