The book of mischief

Showcases a selection of the author's short stories, taking the reader to such places as the old Jewish quarter of the Pinch in Memphis, a turn-of-the-century immigrant community in New York, the market towns of eastern Europe, and a down-at-heel Catskills resort. Along the way are a motley assortment of characters, including Mendy Dreyfus, whose bungee jump goes awry; Elijah, the prophet turned voyeur; and the misfit Zelik Rifkin, who discovers the tree of dreams.