In the introduction, Ellison introduces the concept of "slippage", or the falling apart of one's life, as the underlying theme of the book.

In addition to the stories listed in the table of contents, the book includes a short narration of an unhealthy relationship with a woman named Charlotte as an example of a "slippage" in the author's life.

"The Man Who Rowed Christopher Columbus Ashore" was selected for inclusion in the 1993 edition of The Best American Short Stories.

Mefisto in Onyx had previously appeared as an award-winning novella with cover art by Frank Miller.

[3] Slippage includes the screenplay for "Crazy as a Soup Sandwich", which originally aired as an episode of TV show The Twilight Zone in 1989.