Olive Kitteridge Review: Underwhelmed by this Pulitzer winner
I was underwhelmed by Elizabeth Strout’s Pulitzer winner Olive Kitteridge, perplexed by this ‘novel of stories’ lack of cohesion. Read my full review.
Short Stories
Book Review – THE PECULIAR STATE by Patricio Pron
The Peculiar State Synopsis : A Vintage Shorts Original Selection Hamburg: home of a lapsed writer and his statistician girlfriend. He is part of the 41 percent of the German population that hasn’t read a single book in the last three months;…
A Man Made Entirely of Bats by Patrick Lenton, Review: Hilarious
A Man Made Entirely of Bats Synopsis: A Man Made Entirely of Bats is a collection of short stories and flash fiction by one of Australia’s newest voices. Comedic and absurd, these stories are an entertaining exploration of the concept of…
Book Review – LUCKY ALAN And Other Stories by Jonathan Lethem
Lucky Alan : And Other Stories Synopsis : The incomparable Jonathan Lethem returns with nine stories that demonstrate his mastery of the short form. Jonathan Lethem’s third collection of stories uncovers a father’s nervous breakdown at SeaWorld in “Pending Vegan”; a foundling…
NANOPARTICLES by Charlotte Wood, Short Story Review
Nanoparticles Synopsis: In ‘Nanoparticles’, Lisa cannily observes the people waiting alongside her at the motor registry, from the harried mother of two to the man engrossed in his newspaper. With her characteristically sharp and tender observations, Charlotte Wood examines the smallest…
ONLY THE ANIMALS by Ceridwen Dovey, Book Review
An animal’s-eye view of humans at our brutal worst and our creative best, Ceridwen Dovey’s Only the Animals asks us to believe again in the redemptive power of reading and writing fiction. Only the Animals Synopsis: In a trench on the…
The Collectors by Philip Pullman, a Christmas gift from Audible
I finally got my act together and transferred my Audible.com account (and my entire audiobook library) to Audible.com.au. I really don’t know why I’d been putting it off for so long – just a couple of clicks and it was done….
Book Review – HOW DOES ONE DRESS TO BUY DRAGONFRUIT? edited by Shannon Young
How Does One Dress to Buy Dragonfruit? True Stories of Expat Women in Asia In this collection, twenty-six women reveal the truth about expatriate life in modern East Asia through original works of memoir and creative non-fiction. Their experiences are…
Book Review – GOOD AMERICANS, The Human Tragedy Volume 1 by Tejas Desai
Good Americans Synopsis: In the tradition of Mark Twain, Sinclair Lewis, and William Faulkner, this groundbreaking short story collection paints an uncompromising portrait of a contemporary America filled with liars and buffoons, racists and swindlers, hypocritical ideologues and emotional manipulators. An…
THE DIVING POOL by Yoko Ogawa, Book Review
The Diving Pool Synopsis: Beautiful, twisted and brilliant – discover Yoko Ogawa. A lonely teenage girl falls in love with her foster-brother as she watches him leap from a high diving board into a pool – sparking an unspoken infatuation that…
Book Review – I STOLE THE RAIN by Elisa Ruotolo
I Stole the Rain Synopsis: A trio of unforgettable stories from the superstitious Italian province of Campania In Campania fizzy drinks are delivered by cart, old women sell gold to a furtive clientele, and the tobacconist’s daughter is a prize…
Book Beginning and Review – CUTTING RIGHT TO THE CHASE by Stefania Mattana
Cutting Right to the Chase Synopsis Chase Williams’s life seems to be filled with crimes and mysteries to solve, even if he is not working at Scotland Yard anymore. In Tursenia, a pretty, Medieval city in the heart of Italy, Chase…
Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris, Audiobook Review
David Sedaris’ Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls is the perfect audiobook to get you through your daily commute. Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls Synopsis: From the unique perspective of David Sedaris comes a new book of essays taking his readers on a…
RIDING THE TRAINS IN JAPAN by Patrick Holland, Book Review
Patrick Holland’s Riding the Trains in Japan is for those who have left their rose-coloured glasses behind in a nondescript hotel room in a foreign country, but not their inquiring mind and adventurous spirit. Riding the Trains in Japan Synopsis Travels…
Book Review – THIS IS PARADISE by Kristiana Kahakauwila
Today Booklover Book Reviews is hosting the TLC Book Tour for the recently released story collection This is Paradise by Kristiana Kahakauwila. Synopsis Elegant, brutal, and profound—this magnificent debut captures the grit and glory of modern Hawai’i with breathtaking force…
Short Stories by Aussie Authors – Peter Temple, Diana Hockley and Mary-Rose MacColl
The success of ebook publishing has now made single short story publication commercially viable. If you take a look around there are some great little inexpensive morsels showcasing the work of both well known names and those looking to break…
