Author:William Palmer
"Do you know what the last four things are? In the
Christian catechism they are Death, Judgment, Heaven
and Hell. But in our secular age they should perhaps be
changed. I suggest - First Love, Friendship, Betrayal
and Death . . . These also happen to be the staples of
the novelist. Is that the sort of thing you want?"'
Thus Cornelius Marten asks the researcher who turns up one night
at his house. Cornelius has forgotten his invitation to the young
man. But the young woman who accompanies him seems strangely
familiar. Cornelius is flattered by their attention. He had thought
himself almost forgotten; his great works neglected. And Cornelius,
monstrously selfish, whisky glass constantly in hand, his mind
shifting between past and present, finds that his mysterious guests
release memories and truths he had preferred to forget.
The stories which follow Four Last Things complement and explore
some of the same themes: the poet who has published only one
poem; a bizarre stag night; a child who is haunted by his encounter
with the adult world of a religious maniac; a dreamed murder;
an academic who stirs the ghost of Byron in modern Venice;
the shifts and deceptions of language and memory; and in a great
jazzman's last wordless hurrah, a final flowering of beauty.
This irresistibly powerful volume by the author of The Good
Republic, Leporello and The Contract confirms William Palmer as
one of our finest writers.
One of Russia's best living writers ... her tales inhabit a borderline between this world and the next
—— The New York TimesPetrushevskaya proves that the literary tradition that produced Dostoyevsky, Gogol and Babel is alive and well
—— The Daily BeastStrikingly original... The stories in Little Infamies are extraordinary - shocking, colourful and resonant. Panos Karnezis is an entirely individual writer in full command of his material
—— Sunday TimesA deeply impressive collection of short stories
—— Sunday TelegraphOne of the most original American novelists on either side of the Mississippi
—— TimeIf you loved Out Stealing Horses, you won’t be disappointed by his razor-sharp debut, which tells the story of Arvid’s childhood … The language is simple, beautiful and cleansed of literary affectation. There is not a single superfluous word
—— Ekstrabladet (Denmark)These father-son stories bring us the first meeting with one of Nordic literature’s most lovable characters, Arvid Jansen. A mixture of Alfons Åberg, Ingemar from My Life as a Dog and in part Oskar from The Tin Drum ... New readers should begin nowhere but here
—— Euroman (Denmark)There is both humour and tenderness in Per Petterson’s debut collection from 1987 … Petterson masters the art of writing simply of big subjects. As a reader, you have to read slowly and attentively to register everything, or read the book twice, which you gladly will
—— Kristeligt Dagblad (Norway)If you loved Out Stealing Horses, you won’t be disappointed by his razor-sharp debut… The language is simple, beautiful and cleansed of literary affectation. There is not a single superfluous word
—— Ekstrabladet (Denmark)There is both humour and tenderness… Petterson masters the art of writing simply of big subjects. As a reader, you have to read slowly and attentively to register everything, or read the book twice, which you gladly will
—— Kristeligt Dagblad (Norway)Dreamy and evanescent, [the stories] recall the opening pages of James Joyce’s A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
—— Jon Michaud , Washington PostFull of heartache and the ways in which we hurt each other, and ourselves... Fans of Kennedy's quirky expressionism won't be disappointed.
—— Sunday TimesEvidence that, at her best, there’s no-one to touch Kennedy.
—— Neil Stewart , CivilianFull of challenges and beauty.
—— StylistThis is a sure-footed and intelligently organized collection. These small pieces encompass an extensive emotional territory
—— Chris Power , GuardianAn arresting collection that blends poetic imagery, raw emotion and cerebral insight
—— Juanita Coulson , LadyAs subtle as the colour of Kitsune's silk
—— M John Harrison , GuardianRussell is an amazing storyteller, and this book certainly whets the appetite for her next offering
—— Irish Times‘[Barrett] cuts across all kinds of boundaries of class and education to produce immensely tender portraits of living characters.
—— Anne Enright , Irish ExaminerThis is an exceptional debut, and one of the best collection of short stories that I have read in years.
—— Louise O’Neill, 5 stars , Irish PostAn exciting debut
—— Sunday TimesI don’t think I’ve ever read a better collection by somebody I had never heard of
—— William Leith , Evening StandardA technically-assured collection that never disappoints
—— Country & Town House