Dreams, Death and Deception, Albert Holl's collection of seven short stories, is a microcosm of mankind. The unique, well-crafted characters are young, old, cheerful, miserable, smart, foolish, loving and loathsome. True to life, they demonstrate the duality of human nature, some the very embodiment of good, others of evil-frighteningly real, or unreal. Perception is always a question mark. There is humor as well as horror, the pleasure of surprise endings, and a wide variety of subjects. The settings add appeal: a small town backyard, a little league baseball field, the fast-paced world of a financial advisor, an Atlantic City casino, the homes of two little old ladies facing con artists, and an underground tunnel fraught with rats-maybe. Each story is short enough to enjoy just before bed, on a train, or in a waiting room. Notable quotes: "He couldn't let the race pass him by." And, "Gamblers had integrity." Author of Is It Friday, Yet, Al Holl brings his readers a wry humor, satire, irony, and a few ideas to think about.