Fly Already: Stories

As a 5-year-old I asked my father, “What's a prostitute?” He said to me, “A prostitute is somebody who makes a living by listening to other people's problems.” I asked him, “What's a mafia guy?” He says, “A mafia guy is like a landlord but he collects money from houses that he doesn't own.”—Etgar Keret on Fresh Air, 16 June 2015

I had the pleasure of seeing Keret give a reading from this collection earlier this year. What I love about him, in his writing and in person, is his gift for making people consider seemingly familiar things from a completely new perspective. Keret's surreal style is informed in part by his tendency to look at the world through a childlike lens, free from the jaded, calcified preconceptions of most adults. For this reason, he's an excellent writer of children, and they often feature in his stories. My favorite from this collection is the title story, which is also the first. Keret isn't for everyone, but this slim volume would be the perfect place to start.