Literary Brooding

Trigger Warning - Neil Gaiman Paperback, 352 pages Published February 3rd 2015 by Headline I may be a bit naïve but the art form that is the short story does not seem to be supported by the publishing world which is a real shame as Neil Gaiman makes you realise how special short stories are.  Gaiman has created 24 stories though not following any theme is a collection that is vibrant, diverse, scary, engaging, funny and a couple of surprises. Being a huge fan of Gaiman’s works some of the stories I had read elsewhere but it was nice to revisit them.  However I would say The Sleeper and the Spindle is best read as the illustrated work.  It is hard to pick a favourite but here are some that I really enjoyed: The Thing about Cassandra – when a fictitious girlfriend becomes real and it is a delightful twist.  The Truth is a Cave in the Black Mountain – I had read this previously but a wonderful story about a man who seeks the truth about his d...

Th is House of Grief - Helen Garner Paperback, 300 pages,  Published August 2014 by Text publishing   Before I start doing the whole review thing let me say This House of Grief is a remarkable book, just completely remarkable. On Father’s Day 2005 in Victoria, Australia, three young boys drown when the car their father Robert Farquharson was driving veered off the road and plunged into a dam. The story became national news and for over eight years the question that surrounded the case was it an accident or murder? For Garner the question of accident or murder is not the driving need to resolve. Garner takes you on a journey; she leads you through the court case, introduces you to the players and tries to unravel the complexities of human nature when dealing with grief. As you read, you feel like Garner is chatting with you, telling you her thoughts, her observations and taking you into her confidence. You are able to witness the demeanour of the accused, the impact o...