<DIV>A dead man is brought back to life so he can support his family in "The Happy Man"; occasionally he slips into a zombielike state while his soul is tortured in Hell. In "Vanilla Dunk," future basketball players are given the skills of old-time stars like Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain. And in "Forever, Said the Duck," stored computer personalities scheme to break free of their owners. </P>In these and other stories in this striking collection, Jonathan Lethem, author of <I>The Fortress of Solitude</I> and <I>Motherless Brooklyn</I>, draws the reader ever more deeply into his strange, unforgettable world—a trip from which there may be no easy return.</P></DIV>