A collection of essays by the well-known curmudgeon, Dr Sanscravat (who is no more a doctor than is Dr Pepper). The essays are annotated by his long-suffering editor, Gary Allen, who often tells himself that there must be better things to do with his life. The counterpoint between them makes for an unusual—and frequently amusing—sort of memoir. While readers may sometimes detect a whiff of truth, just as often they discover a steaming heap of lies, exaggerations, and whatever form of falsehood best suits his immediate purpose. It’s a wise reader who examines his shoes after stepping into a Sanscravat story.