Seven short stories about London and England, and a strange slightly surreal world around 1970-80ish. Five of the seven stories are from the perspective of someone observing a slightly more strange individual. The other two are the best stories. The distance created by the narrators who observe someone else is odd, a little dull. Two of the narrators are mountain climbers, making me wonder if they aren't all transparently the author--but I hate assuming that kind of thing.

There are many many similes throughout the collection, so many that they become impossible to ignore. Everything seems to be like this or as if that. And the phrase "between the cup and lip" is used a few times, and stands out.

The stories are interesting and I'm glad I read the collection, but all in all I didn't enjoy it. ( )