A collection of linked stories that follow Raphael Nachman - a simple, aging mathematician whose sensual needs are satisfied by working out maths problems and playing the violin. From touring Cracow's former Jewish ghetto with a young female guide who may or may not be a government agent, to a barbershop in Santa Monica, where Nachman uses his unwitting hairdresser as a therapist, to a mysterious corporate cryptology conference in Manhattan that makes Nachman long for the rolling waves of the Pacific Ocean outside his bedroom window in California. The last thing Michaels wrote before his death, The Nachman Stories showcase a masterful style, infused with a grace and wisdom. Each story is delightful and profound - presenting us with a befuddling, comical, and all-too-recognizable portrait of humanity.