The Price of the Haircut: Stories

Okay, for the reader who wants to laugh out loud, the first story in this volume is a guaranteed humorous take on the greedy side of human nature. The Price of the Haircut turns out to be the sell-out price of human nature, delivered in hilarious fashion. The depiction of yuppies who have been overcharged for their haircuts standing in line for a bargain is brutally but funnily depicted. The other stories are very well written and equally satiric. A visit to Lizzie Borden’s bed and breakfast put one squarely in observing the penchant for the roadside attraction. These stories are all improbable and funny, but they also are ferocious attacks on the commonplace and low culture.

For those readers missing the regular output of Tom Robbins, this writer seems to be his natural heir. Clarke observes his characters with brutal attention to their weaknesses that borders on cruel, but she mitigates that look with outright funny and true observations. Take this book on vacation so everyone can wonder why you are laughing out loud.