The Nimrod Flip-out

Author: Etgar Keret

Publisher: Picador

Price: $22

Short, sharp flip

Short stories are Etgar Keret’s stock-in-trade. The Nimrod Flip-out is his second collection of short stories after The Bus Driver Who Wanted to be God. He’s a successful film and television writer, actor and director. He also happens to be Israeli.

The Nimrod Flip-out is a collection of what are described as “warped and wonderful” short stories; and the content mostly lives up to the hype. Now you might think that stories from an Israeli writer would be full of angst, turmoil and dread. That’s far from the case here. The Nimrod Flip-out is a collection filled with whimsy, acerbic observation and universal truths.

There’s the occasional reminder of the writer’s origins; as in the title story about four friends who were conscripted together into the Israeli army. But those instances aside, most of the stories could take place anywhere at any time. Take “Ironclad Rules” for example. In less than four pages, Keret manages to provide a stunning insight into relationships that almost certainly would ring true for anyone. The same might be said for “One Kiss on the Mouth in Mombasa”.

Many of the stories have a fantasy element to them. In “Fatso” a young man’s beautiful girlfriend turns into a fat little man who loves football at night; in “Bottle” a scammer transports a musician into a soft drink bottle; while in “A Good Looking Couple”, we’re treated not only to the thoughts of the eponymous couple, but a cat, a television set and a door as well. Others are simply a little slice of life or a comment on some aspect of life.

Keret’s grammar certainly isn’t out of Strunk’s Elements of Style; but the text flows smoothly enough and suits the staccato nature of the pieces. Also, this is definitely a collection for adults, as titles like “My Girlfriend’s Naked” suggest. That is not to say that the book is erotic by any means, but there are some very adult themes running through it.

The Nimrod Flip-Out is an excellent introduction to Keret’s writing. This is a book in which the unexpected becomes the commonplace, and the commonplace is twisted around to be viewed in a whole new light.

David Edwards

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