Paperback: £ 6.99
Publisher: Comma Press
This book is made up of 5 stories from the BBC National Short Story Award 2010. Here is a brief little bit about each one:
Tea At The Midland - David Constantine
I think I was trying to find more in this story than there actually was. I have a habit of doing this on occasion as I did an English degree at Uni. The grammar and punctuation in this story did annoy me slightly as the sections of speech were not all that clear.
Haywards Heath - Aminatta Forna
A very touching and beautiful story. Alzheimer is a subject that affects hundreds if not thousands of people and this story deals with it in a very sensitive and somewhat peaceful way. I was moved and touched by these 9 simple, yet effective, pages.
Butcher's Perfume - Sarah Hall
I'm terrified of horses so I wasn't a massive fan of this story in the end. Also, I was eating my lunch when I read it and the odd bit was grim. However, the character of Manda is someone I'm sure all of us can relate to. We all knew a girl like her in school and that helped me find this story enjoyable. A nice moral tale in the end....you don't get a whole lot of those these days.
If It Keeps On Raining - Jon McGregor
This story made me feel hollow and empty.
My Daughter The Racist - Helen Oyeyemi
There were some light hearted moments in this story that made it the most up lifting of the lot. It again seemed to provide a moral. For me, it was a moral about tarring everyone with the same brush. It is about the war in Iraq I believe and how native Iraqis can change their opinion of soldiers and how soldiers can befriend the natives. If only one person breaks the stereotype, the mold then that is all is needed to begin the slow and steady road towards progress and acceptance.
Happy Reading
Book Geek
:-)
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