Spoiled Brats: And Other Stories — Simon Rich

In his collection "Spoiled Brats," Simon Rich takes his absurd, culture-skewering style to new heights, marrying the literary polish of writers like Karen Russell and George Saunders with the humor of Steve Martin to deliver truly dazzling tales.

"Spoiled Brats" is about the battles we fight with the ones who love us most: our parents. In Family Business, a young chimpanzee offends his working class father by choosing to become a research animal instead of joining the family grub-hunting business. In Proud Mom, a young mother is so besotted she doesn t realize her child is actually, truly a monster. And in Animals, the fate of a terrified classroom hamster hangs in the balance when a notorious kid is picked for hamster care duty.