A mother contemplates trading in her teenage son, romance blossoms at The Big Banana, a man gives us a lesson on speed dating and a woman meticulously plans her own funeral.

           

This sparkling collection of seventy short stories provides a glimpse into the challenges and pleasures of parenting, confronting reality of ageing, euphoria of love and agony of loss. The stories range from moving to acerbic to darkly humorous. They remind us how the ordinary can be made to seem extraordinary, even miraculous.

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Dazzling. These stories are fearless, defiant and brimming with wit. Gillian O’Shaughnessy

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Poignant, confronting, quirky, hilarious … exquisitely written, subtly crafted and emotionally powerful stories. Susan Midalia

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Alison Davis is one of the finest short story and flash fiction writers in Australia. The stories in this collection illuminate the essence of what it means to be human and living in this world. Emily Tsokos Purtill

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​If you’ve ever wondered how the hell Alison Davis’s name keeps turning up in the winning circle for so many story awards, open this book and read for just five minutes. Then wonder no more. Barry Divola, author of Driving Stevie Fracasso and Nineteen Seventysomething.