From the cruel irony of 'A member of the Family' to the fateful echoes of 'The Go-Away Bird' and the unexpectedly sinister 'The Girl I Left Behind Me', in settings that range from South Africa to the Portobello Road, Muriel Spark coolly probes the idiosyncrasies that lurk beneath the veneer of human respectability, displaying the acerbic wit and wisdom that are the hallmarks of her unique talent.
The Complete Short Stories is a collection to be loved and cherished, from one of the finest short-story writers of the twentieth century.
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[All over the Colony, it was possible to hear the subtle voice of the grey-crested lourie, commonly known as the g0-away bird by its call 'go'way, go'way'. (THE GO-AWAY BIRD)]***
(@canongatebooks, 14 May 2014, first published 2001, 609 pages, ebook, borrowed from @GlasgowLib via @OverDriveLibs)
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I have a love/hate relationship with Muriel Spark. I can never quite make up my mind about her. I loved her book The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie but have never rated other books I've read very high. I've heard a lot of good things about her though and have never quite given up hope I'll warm to her work. So I decided to give her short fiction a go. I really enjoyed this book. All of the stories are strong. The best ones are The Go-Away Bird, The Snobs, The Dragon, Miss Pinkerton's Apocalypse, The Twins and The First Year of My Life. This very enjoyable collection may have warmed me to Muriel Spark after all. I might check out other books after this.
