When Philomena leaves for the coast, wannabe celebrity journalist Connor McKnight sees his already unsteady world quake with an 8 on the Manhattan version of the Richter Scale. To make the tremors worse, his boss has ripped his head apart for failing to bring in a profile on the hunk of the moment, Chip Ralston, who is avoiding Connor better than Walter Payton eluded a tackle.

When a person is depressed, they turn to family and friends for solace. However, ConnorĘs sister beats him to the role of needing a shoulder due to her divorce. Jeremy, ConnorĘs best friend, requires a comforting boost to his confidence because he fears the publication of his next novel. Just when Connor thinks he has been sucked dry, his most dreaded nightmare surfaces. His parents are coming to town to spend Thanksgiving with him and his sister.

Jay McInerney has earned a deserved reputation for his collective works, but his latest book may be his best yet. MODEL BEHAVIOR, the novel in this collection, is a jocular satire on celebrity life in Manhattan. The story line is fabulous because of the humorous disregard and mental slap-stick by his friends and family towards ConnorĘs downward spiral. The seven short stories are interesting and well written, but pale next to the ironic touches of the novel, which, in of itself, is worth the price of admission. However, read the novel and then allow a few weeks to pass before perusing the short stories, which in a separate book would be regarded as brilliant slices of life.