The twenty-six stories included in this volume are taut, economical in structure, precisely observed and laced with irony. They include some of his most popular and well known stories: A Dog without a Master, a meditation upon a godless existence, The Fur Coat, in which a borrowed garment reveals an adulterous secret, and The Chinese, with its delicate depiction of loneliness and isolation. Shining through all the stories is Söderberg’s clear-sighted affection for Stockholm, in all its moods – it is only too easy to see why Söderberg is regarded as one of the foremost chroniclers of the city."These are marvellous little pieces [...] full of wise and witty thoughts about religion and other forms of nonsense, and they have been efficiently translated and informatively introduced."Rationalist Review"Carl Lofmark has done valuable service by providing a modern English translation of many of Söderberg’s stories, and a first English translation of others."Swedish Book Review