Author:Samuel Beckett
'They didn't seem to take much interest in my private parts which to tell the truth were nothing to write home about, I didn't take much interest in them myself.'
From the master of the absurd, these two stories of an unnamed vagrant contending with decay and death combine bleakness with the blackest of humour.
Penguin Modern: fifty new books celebrating the pioneering spirit of the iconic Penguin Modern Classics series, with each one offering a concentrated hit of its contemporary, international flavour. Here are authors ranging from Kathy Acker to James Baldwin, Truman Capote to Stanislaw Lem and George Orwell to Shirley Jackson; essays radical and inspiring; poems moving and disturbing; stories surreal and fabulous; taking us from the deep South to modern Japan, New York's underground scene to the farthest reaches of outer space.
BY THE SUNDAY TIMES NUMBER ONE BESTSELLING AUTHOR
Delve inside this CHRISTMAS STOCKING choc-full of perfectly themed, never-before-published seasonal short stories perfect for anyone who loves romance, humour and happy-ever-after endings.
This book is an absolute page turner and will never fail to impress.
—— Woman and HomeA wonderful and magical Christmas read! Katie Fforde has done it again with six seasonal stories you’ll be transformed into a world of romance, humor and happy ever-afters.
—— Under the Christmas Tree BlogGloriously festive… beautiful anthology…Every single one will remind you why this time of year is referred to as the most wonderful of them all. You’ll be decking the halls and feeling jolly before you know it.
—— HeatThe Sunday Times Top 10 romance story legend will warm the cockles of your heart with this heady cocktail of festive season tales.
—— Peterborough Evening Telegraphperfect for anyone who loves romance, humour and happy-ever-after endings
—— Chells and Books BlogAn ideal gift for someone to find in their stocking on Christmas morning.
—— Shaz’s Book BlogKatie Fforde's short stories burst with warmth and good cheer… Pure enjoyment, and indulgent pleasure!
—— Random Things Through my Letterboxperfect for anyone who loves romance, humour and happy-ever-after endings.
—— Gransnet Christmas readsKatie is a fantastic author and she really knows how to get you in the Christmassy feels.
—— The Reader’s CornerA wonderfully festive Christmas collection
—— Northern LivingWonderfully festive… The perfect gift for Christmas
—— Frost MagazineKatie Fforde gives the reader a real treat with this book. The stories are full of warmth, magic, love, friendship, mince pies and mulled wine! So if you are looking for a book to dip in and out of in between wrapping presents and putting decorations up then look no further!
—— Scribbles Blogthe perfect antidote to seasonal stress
—— The People's FriendIf you're looking for an escape from the rush of busy shopping centres, then take a breather and enjoy a short break with The Christmas Stocking and Other Stories.
—— Jaffa Reads BlogThis gorgeous festive selection fills every criteria of a perfect Christmas read
—— Hot Brands Cool PlacesA manifestly gifted writer
—— The Quarterly ConversationAstonishing-turns Don Quixote into Picasso
—— Harper'sThe realism of Groff’s stories is matched by her lyricism: botanical details and evocations of weather give her prose an addictive quality
—— i newspaperThere are panthers, snakes and hurricanes heading in the direction of the angry, lonely characters in Lauren Groff's vivid stories, but the greatest threat comes from their own unwieldy feelings, as doubt, regret and dissatisfaction scupper all notions of emotional security.
—— PsychologiesLush, and tinged with paranoia…[Groff] should be better known in Britain.
—— Sunday TimesMy god, can Lauren Groff write or what?! ... This short story collection showcases a master craftswoman whose sentences reverberate with depth and power.
—— Victoria Sadler[A] strikingly vivid Florida of the mind…an extraordinary trip for the reader.
—— Daily MailGroff's writing is clever, caustic yet with a mother's tender sensibility. And such powers of description!... I was blown away!
—— SagaSuperb stories.
—— RTE OnlineLyrical, lacerating collection.
—— Daily MailGroff's writing is superb and she captures her characters eccentricities or their bizarre situations perfectly. There are laugh out loud moments with some parts that were odd and some even creepy. Everyone who will read this collection will definitely get something out of it.
—— DeuceKindred BlogGroff's mastery of language, plot and dialogue are on full display in a set of stories that linger long after you've closed the last page.
—— Esquire[A] masterclass in writing about the edges of everyday life. This collection of short stories that all link to the Sunshine State captures loneliness, alienation, abandonment and inner resourcefulness in the most creative of tales.
—— Victoria SadlerFantastical tales ... You'll be swept up in a wild hurricane of a ride with this lyrical stories of fury and love, loss and hope.
—— NewsweekEach story is perfectly formed, exquisite, often troubling but there is something so brilliantly humane about her work.
—— Kate Hamer, Wales Art ReviewThe five darkly comic stories that comprise The Largesse of the Sea Maiden are befitting final testaments to [Johnson’s] wild originality... His sentences, like his plots, are full of gorgeous little shocks.
—— Irish Independent, *The best reads of 2018: Our critics name their top picks*