Have a Laugh

I picked up Laugh Track by David Galef recently, because I noticed that my library had placed a "Mississippi Author" sticker on its spine. David Galef is an Associate Professor of English at the University of Mississippi who has published two novels (Flesh and Turning Japanese) as well as many short stories and essays and reviews that have appeared in the New York Times and Twentieth Century Literature. He has also written eight other books, including Japanese translations, literary criticism and children's stories. Laugh Track is a collection of fifteen stories that are an eclectic mix of styles and explore fifteen different worlds. Some of the stories are based in the United States, while others are set in Mexico or the not-too-distant future. According to the book flap, all of the stories "flirt with the veil of fantasy and yet in the end reveal vulnerable sides of humanity." Each character in the fifteen stories does share one common trait; they are all looking for the one thing in their lives that will solve all of their problems. However, what each person wishes for may end up not being the solution that they need. This story collection is a great exploration of complex characters and is an enjoyable read.