In this visionary collection of short stories, we stumble on God - or not God - in back alleys and promised lands, at family tragedies and sleazy racetracks. In the eponymous "Meeting God or Something Like it," a man encounters the Messiah. The real one? How can he know? Can't ask for ID. It's enough to drive anyone mad. In"The Lamb," a young Israeli soldier and an old Arab shepherd set aside their mutual suspicions and put themselves in mortal danger in an effort to save a lamed animal. "A Bedtime Conversation Regarding Delays in the Second Coming"is a funny and moving conversation between God and his Son. Whether God is there pulling the strings or is just the Great Placebo in the sky, all seven stories, the ones that make you laugh and the ones that make you cry, share a common perspective: It's never about God. It's always about us.