People And Animals, 'Falling And Flying,' Make For A Hypnotic Read

Here's a useful rule of thumb: If one of your friends says "I've got to tell you about this weird dream I had last night," run. Otherwise you're in for the most boring ten-minute story you've ever heard, punctuated with phrases like "It was, like, my house, but not my house, you know?"

There are, of course, exceptions. If Ben Loory wants to tell you about a dream he had, for example, pull up, are dreamlike in the best possible way: both cheerfully surreal and cosmically unsettling. It's a strong sophomore effort from an author who's known for his wild imagination and off-kilter sense of humor.