‘Family, that slippery word, a star to every wandering bark and everyone sailing under a different sky�Where do you go if you can’t feel at home in your own family? When the people who made you can’t fathom who you become? In these three tales of quarrelling clans and fraught reunions, Mark Haddon shows family in its frank, unsparing yet frequently absurd light, and, in doing so charts a stormy course into the crucible of the self.Selected from The Pier Falls, The Red House and A Spot of Bother.VINTAGE GREAT MINDS. BIG IDEAS. LITTLE BOOKS.A series of short books by the world’s greatest writers on the experiences that make us humanDiscover the in the Vintage Minis ‘Head Space� by Helen MacdonaldTherapy by Stephen Grosz
Mark Haddon is an English novelist, best known for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (2003). He won the Whitbread Award, the Dolly Gray Children's Literature Award, the Guardian Prize, and a Commonwealth Writers Prize for his work.
A collection of three (kinda) stories, two extracts of novels and one short story. The third was, OK it was, alright. The first was a fiction-to-be report of what a mess could be a family (1 of 5 stars); the second was a no-point stream of consciousness which I read just because I had to (0 of 5 stars); and the third was about a girl coming back home to visit her mother, but everything is a mess, and (OK) it could win 2 of 5 stars.
The only Haddon I'd previously read was The Curious Incident...., so it was useful to get this book of excellent extracts from the novels The Red House and A Spot of Bother and the short story collection The Pier Falls. Certainly makes me want to read the novels in full which I now have on order
my mom bought this book thinking it'd be a little collection of heartwarming stories about family life. i was extremely disappointed to find out the stories were just snippets of mark haddon's other books, none of which very truly compelling. only the last chapter slightly perked my interest, altho not enough to buy the actual book.
Being honest, this book disappointed me. Most of the stories were boring and I only liked the first one even though the ending made me cry because of the couple breaking up even though it was kinda obvious that it was gonna happen eventually.
enjoyable, but I recommend just reading other books from this author instead. these are three snippets of his works and I liked the first one very much, the other two were okay-ish, I guess. I actually ordered a copy of "a spot of bother" and I'm looking forward to reading it soon! :)
A good read. Shows all the complexity and messiness of familial relationships. The second story can be a little hard to get through but worth persevering.
Two bits of novels and a short story that is not one of Haddon's best. There's some nice family dynamics in the writing, but they are pointless without the narrative.
Very entertaining excerpts from Mark Haddon's oeuvre! He has an unerring ability to make the ordinary seem more interesting rather than the other way around!
Each of these 3 short stories made me reflect on the complexity and bizarreness that resides in every family. Enjoyed reading as with all Haddon's short stories.