In "Stuffed Prey," a Japanese maid caf? employee's obsession with claw machines is likened to the very human desire to succeed. Harmon Cooper, the author of the collection, was in a bus accident in India in 2011. "The Sciatica Goblin and the International Motley Crew," is a recollection of this experience. Facing retirement, a subway worker named Kodai runs from his post onto the highway in "Tokyo Stirs." He continues running, as the news media and...