Whew, this is something. A collection of ultra-short flash-fiction-style chapters, perhaps 250 of them. Most last only a page or two, with some continuing storylines, all of them thematically and stylistically related. The temp's saga was my favourite of these.

The book is undeniably British. It paints a hilarious and depressingly bleak portrait of humanity, both now and in the future. It's almost enough to hope that another world will visit us with a War Brick before we get this chance. Note to self: never go back into debt.

Its structure lends itself to digestion in short bouts, such as while waiting for public transportation or pinching a loaf. I read most of it while failing to get my children promptly ready for bed (not because I was reading, but because this is apparently an impossible task), which I am sure is exactly what the author intended.

Thanks to my GR friend Billie for the recommendation. This would not have come across my radar otherwise, and it was refreshingly different from my usual fare.