At least five of these stories are about men’s or boys’ fumbling efforts to get laid. About four of them are impertinent vignettes with unreliable or just plain crazy narrators. A couple more are absorbing mini-monologues from society’s fringes. All are characterized by the same narrative agreeableness I’ve found in the two other fiction and one non-fiction book of Boyd’s I’ve read: he writes fiction without making a song and dance about it and (mostly) puts plot and character ahead of literary posturing.

I think my favourite piece here is “Gifts”, in which an ingenuous undergrad relies on the kindness of strangers in the South of France. There’s something very calming about this strange tale, an absence of antagonism maybe, something zenlike almost, and it’s funny too. I was also quite taken with the antiheroic Morgan Leafy, who appears twice in this collection, and want to read “A Good Man in Africa” now for more Leafiness. The title story comes in for a lot of praise but for me it was the only real misfire, a predictable revenge yarn whose military dialogue is unconvincing (“get outa here an’ don’t come back or I’m gonna dump a giant shit on you, boy!”) But this book has something for most people. I thought it was a lot of fun. ( )

A short story collection that was a bit of a mixed bag. The first 8 or so stories I really enjoyed and then they became more uneven; some a bit too raunchy and others more vaugely odd. I think I may stick to his longer works for now.

Within seconds you are hooked into each of these short stories. All little William Boyd gems. Glad I picked this one up. ( )

I’m not normally a fan of short story collections but an exception can always be made for the excellent writing of William Boyd.

This is a good deal more conventional and accessible than the later collection ‘Fascination’ and I enjoyed it a lot more. Largely about sex (or a quest for it), the stories have a beginning, middle and an end, and are easy to understand. In some cases too easy – I was sure I must be missing something profound. I am constantly amazed by the breadth of this author’s range – from a washed up Hollywood child star to a bumptious RAF pilot to a girl working in the circus, he gets inside all their heads. Impressive stuff. ( )

An interesting collection of short stories - he is a sometimes caustic writer, and the stories have a very personal touch. I wonder which Scottish public school he was writing about ...! ( )