Impugned By A Peasant & Other Stories

by Frank Key

Another fat compendium of stories from Frank Key's Hooting Yard On The Air radio show on Resonance FM. Includes several episodes from the career of the out of print pamphleteer, Dobson.

Genres: Short Stories

337 pages, Paperback

First published November 3, 2010

Reviews

[Raj · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collection of very short vignettes by Frank Key, culled from his website Hooting Yard. I first encountered Mr Key as a reader on the Drabblecast podcast and when his new volume was published, a few of the stories were read on that podcast which I enjoyed so looked up the complete collection.

The vignettes are very short, no more than 2-3 pages each, surreal and not really about anything. You can't read many in one go or they completely blur, but they are enjoyable in a wry way. There are recurring characters who you start to look out for, such as the bestselling paperbackist Pebblehead, the vertically-challenged adventurer Tiny Enid, and, of course, the perpetually out of print pamphleteer, Dobson.

Having heard Key as a reader, I hear these stories in his voice, a rather dry, somewhat sarcastic English tone which completely suits the stories.

[Ian Russell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absurd to Zany short stories and tall tales regaled with the utmost authority. Indescribable. It's a dipping book. Read it, with relish.

[Walt O'Hara · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are darned few decent absurdists breathing air these days. Frank Key is one of them.