Establishing oneself as a man - especially in interactions with women - is not easy, even in the Arab world! The Iraqi Al-Rubaie knows how to tell this story. With keen observation, he combines a healthy dose of malice and cynicism with heartfelt humor. As is often the case with Al-Rubaie, these frequently autobiographical tales feature lonely and resigned heroes who act against the backdrop of an unstable and contradictory world. The volume contains seven stories and short narratives by the author in a bilingual edition.