Ronald Reagan, My Father, the third book by Toronto author and multi-disciplinary artist Brian Joseph Davis, continues to mine fixations that will be familiar to his readers: pop culture, politics, film, and cultural theory. In these stories, Davis does so with wit, originality, and – occasionally – consummate skill.

Though they may induce chuckles, stories like “The Unicorns,” “The Bourguignon Prize,” and “Five Minutes to Sexy Hair” remain little more than clever conceits. Elsewhere, Davis demonstrates real craft, combining humour with narrative development, humane warmth, and a convincing command of vernacular expression. In “Ordinary People,” a meth-addicted Vietnam vet receives the death penalty after a botched convenience store hold-up. Following his execution, his brain is transplanted into the head of a suburban Web developer, forcing a complex relationship upon the two men’s families as they wade through one legal quandary after another. Though they’re farcical, the characters are also compelling. “The Lame Shall Enter at Five Miles Per Hour” – about seniors who race electric scooters – has similar virtues, striking a balance between sympathy and absurdity.

Among the less conventional stories are several intriguing pastiches. “Johnny” consists entirely of film dialogue about characters named Johnny: ten pages in the vein of, “Let me tell you about Johnny, daddy-o. If I were you I wouldn’t mess around with Johnny.” Devoid of context or exposition,  the word Johnny becomes a relentless refrain amidst a litany of desires, fears, confessions, and admonitions. The effect is both meditative and schizoid. Similarly, “Voice Over” is composed of film taglines sorted into loosely thematic sections. The result is a depraved meta-narrative assembled from deadpan premises stacked end to end. “Untitled Senator Joseph Lieberman Vanity Film Project” is a treatment for a ludicrous script seemingly modelled on rejected fetish porno plots.

Ronald Reagan, My Father is hyper-satire intended for those who appreciate Davis’s dark humour and share his cultural enthusiasms, which are equal parts populist and arcane. Fans of the edginess of Davis’s previous work will find similar satisfaction in this slim volume, though aside from a few notable exceptions, these stories are unlikely to win over readers wary of experimental fiction.