Author:William Trevor
After Rain - Twelve remarkable stories by the master storyteller William Trevor
'There is no better short story writer in the English-speaking world' Wall Street Journal
In this collection of twelve dazzling, acutely rendered tales, William Trevor plumbs the depths of the human heart. Here we encounter a blind piano tuner whose wonderful memories of his first wife are cruelly distorted by his second; a woman in a difficult marriage who must choose between her indignant husband and her closest friend; two children, survivors of divorce, who mimic their parents' melodramas; and a heartbroken woman traveling alone in Italy who experiences an epiphany while studying a forgotten artist's Annunciation.
Trevor is, in his own words, 'a storyteller. My fiction may, now and again, illuminate aspects of the human condition, but I do not consciously set out to do so.' Conscious or not, he touches us in ways that few writers even dare to try.
One of the few living masters of the [short story] genre
—— Daily TelegraphSurreal and puncturing
—— Margaret AtwoodThere is no author I recommend to people more often - for ten years I've urged George Saunders onto everyone and everyone.
—— Dave Eggers[A] brilliant collection of short stories
—— Philip Hensher , Mail on SundayStrangely moving, hilariously unsettling, and unlike anything else you'll read this year
—— EsquireHilarious but frightening, cruel yet compassionate...read the first pages of any story slowly and you'll realise how good he is
—— Scotland on SundayThe debut of an exciting new voice in fiction...He's a savage satirist with a sentimental streak who delineates the dark underbelly of the American dream. Mr Saunders' satiric vision of America is dark and demented, also ferocious and very funny
—— Michiko Kakutani , New York TimesFrom unhappy women overcoming problems to fairytale romance, you'll love getting lost in these charming tales
—— PeopleA book that maps the wonder of everyday love
—— MetroLots to cheer about in Moyes' first collection of short stories. If you want romance, the title story and its hapless heroine Nell will give it to you in spades
—— RedWith a talent for writing about the everyday in a wonderfully warm and wacky way, Moyes somehow manages to break your heart before restoring your faith in love
—— Sunday ExpressLike her peers David Nicholls and Marian Keyes, possesses the enviable gift of making the reader laugh in the gloomiest of circumstances
—— Independent on SundayJust like Moyes' other works, the stories are heartfelt, emotional and teach us about love, loss, liberation and laughter. Fans of her previous work will love it
—— OK!Delightful short stories from the author of Me Before You
—— PrimaA heartwarming debut collection of short stories - all centred on everyday women - from the author of Me Before You
—— Mail on SundayFrom unhappy women overcoming problems to fairytale romance, you'll love getting lost in these charming tales
—— The PeopleA book that maps the wonder of everyday love
—— Metro (London)The best-selling queen of romantic fiction has delivered the goods... you'll love getting lost in these charming tales
—— Sunday MirrorIrresistible... Paris for One offers a dose of instant escapism to whisk you away
—— Daily ExpressA beautiful read
—— HelloMoyes is always good on male/female relationships. But her sneaky brilliance is in the way she discreetly includes the powerful influence that women have on each other's love lives
—— Daily MailAn undeniably enjoyable dose of escapism
—— Irish IndependentMark Haddon has become a master of the short story…this new collection intrigues and horrifies by turn
—— Country & Town HouseGripping tale… Told with forensic precision.
—— Paddy Kehoe , RTE OnlineExuberant, lusty exercises in juxtaposition… Such contrasts not only power each piece but also act as a form of call and response across them… Terrifically compelling collection.
—— Alex Clark , GuardianImpressive but forbiddingly lightless collection. There’s no doubt about Haddon’s skill.
—— Tim Martin , New StatesmanHave you ever read a book that made you gasp out loud and nearly burst into tears? The title story…had that effect on me… Haddon is able to give human tragedy the due solemnity it deserves but without being po-faced. A wonderful collection.
—— Anne Sexton , Hot PressGuaranteed to keep me riveted.
—— Karen Byrom , My WeeklyGripping… Packs the action and themes that might power a very full novel into less than 70 pages
—— John Williams , New York TimesScintillating first foray into the shorter form… Beautifully crafted… A challenging and idiosyncratic talent, with a memorable way with words.
—— Max Davidson , Mail on Sunday[Haddon] portrays the nightmares of our own society…with astonishing deftness, mixing black humour and pathos.
—— David Platzer , TabletThe Pier Falls had me gasping in disbelief.
—— Chris Catchpole , Q[It was] grim and compelling… [A] ripping, gripping yarn – narrative velcro.
—— Craige Raine , Spectator, Book of the YearI savoured all the atmospheric short stories in The Pier Falls.
—— Elizabeth Reapy , Irish Times, Book of the YearAn enthralling short story collection; dark, immersive stories with lots of action. The writing is tight and inspiring.
—— E. Reapy , Irish Independent, Book of the Year[A] searing collection of short stories that thrill and chill in equal measure.
—— Claire Allfree , Metro, Book of the YearI was also captivated by the dark A Pier Falls, a brilliantly written collection of bleak and brutal short stories.
—— Mernie Gilmore , Daily Express, Book of the YearI adored The Pier Falls… Each story is wildly entertaining and well written.
—— Dave Rudden , Headstuff, Book of the Year[It] proves the capacity of a short story to immerse the reader fully in a fictional world.
—— Anita Sethi , Guardian, Book of the YearThis short-story collection is thrilling and exquisitely written. I gave out several copies as Christmas presents.
—— Claire Fuller , Sunday TelegraphAn exquisite writer.
—— Fiona Wilson , The TimesMesmerisingly good stories, hugely varied, skilfully written, full of deft touches and narrative shocks... an absolute treat
—— Marcus Berkman , Spectator, *Books of the Year*