This memorable debut, originally published in 1993, was hailed for its power and elegance on both sides of trhe Atlantic. Ranging from the last hours ofa condemned man, to the imaginary llife od an AIDS patient, to the first performance of a bizarre new symphony, these tales are moving and thpught-provoking, as inventive in form as they are tieless in content. They display the strating mix of dazzle and depth that have made Mrtel an international phenomenon.