This is a collection of short stories, loosely connected together, exploring ideas of mental health and psychotherapy with diversions into anthropology.

The exceptions to the main theme are the stories, 'The North London Book of the Dead', which I'm guessing Self later expanded into the novel 'How the Dead Live', and the deeply bizarre 'Mono-Cellular'.

In places, reminiscent of J.G.Ballard's books, Self is at home describing the plastic tea-stirrer, fluorescent strip lighting & vinyl flooring of the institutional environment and London's urban landscape. His work is dark and fantastic, despite being based in such apparently ordinary settings.

I normally like Will Self's writing, so I was surprised to find this book heavier-going than I was expecting, but there were many memorable moments, and it ended on a high with the pre-millennial 'Waiting'.

Also I can't finish this review without mentioning the 'Ur-Bororo', an unremittingly boring Amazonian tribe that their neighbours have long since given up trying to engage in tribal warfare, whose word for 'now' literally translates as 'waste of time'. Masters of small talk. ( )

Love the way Will Self engages with and creates his stories. Very interesting ideas and exploration of said ideas. ( )