Not every present given with the best of intentions arouses unmitigated pleasure in the recipient. A live monkey, for example, can cause enormous problems, particularly when it is a diplomatic gift and cannot simply be passed on to the zoo… Chat about the ›Latest Story‹ is one of thirty-seven witty short stories about the element of the absurd in everyday life. A fox and a cockerel appear as figures in a fable, a clergyman makes a deal with the devil, fairy-tale characters are transported into brutal reality. And the richness of the writer's imagination and cryptic humour makes amusing, thought-provoking reading.