not really discussed in the (substantial) body of criticsm on west; i found this to be a hilarious send-up of Algerism in american fiction. its politics are a bit simplistic, but i think its various catastrophes foreshadow the end of The Day of the Locust. eminently worth the time: short, funny, engaging. West's career batting average, in my mind, was .750, with three hits (this, Miss Lonelyhearts, Locust) and one serious miss (The Dream Life of Balso Snell). I'd rate it a must-read if you're interested in any kind of american countercultural literary history.