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The Exploding Boy and Other Tiny Tales
'Astonishing... forty two short, swift, crowd-pleasing stories. Full of little pleasure bursts. Proof that the short story is still a public good.' Ian Sansom, The Guardian.
'I bloody LOVE these short, clever, oblique. Just what the form is for.' John Mitchinson, QI.
'Creepily brilliant' The Mail on Sunday
'Fit to rub shoulders with the likes of Richard Brautigan... a tremendous collection which sets the bar extremely high.' Bookmunch
These forty two short, funny and sometimes strange short stories ask the questions that are on everybody's Why did the national anthem turn out rubbish? Why has the supply teacher blacked out all the windows? Why have the islanders run amok like that? Where do those ladders go, anyway? And what, exactly, is up with all the walruses?
Parker's brilliantly bizarre stories have been compared to George Saunders, Magnus Mills, Edward Gorey, Tim Burton, Donald Barthelme and Richard Brautigan. (Which made him feel pretty smug, as you can probably imagine.)
'I bloody LOVE these short, clever, oblique. Just what the form is for.' John Mitchinson, QI.
'Creepily brilliant' The Mail on Sunday
'Fit to rub shoulders with the likes of Richard Brautigan... a tremendous collection which sets the bar extremely high.' Bookmunch
These forty two short, funny and sometimes strange short stories ask the questions that are on everybody's Why did the national anthem turn out rubbish? Why has the supply teacher blacked out all the windows? Why have the islanders run amok like that? Where do those ladders go, anyway? And what, exactly, is up with all the walruses?
Parker's brilliantly bizarre stories have been compared to George Saunders, Magnus Mills, Edward Gorey, Tim Burton, Donald Barthelme and Richard Brautigan. (Which made him feel pretty smug, as you can probably imagine.)
105 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 29, 2011
18 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 17, 2016
A fascinating set of stories, aptly chiselled down into micro-organisms of a successful marriage between style and substance. The strength of these stories boil down towards their rather timeless nature, which, alongside the Bathelme-ian demonstration of dry wit and endless creativity, make this an easy and engaging read.
Not all stories are as successful, to my eyes (some stories seem too apt to tell similar odes of self-destruction and world-wearying nausea), but this collection merits closer reading, and should be a classic given time and stature.
Not all stories are as successful, to my eyes (some stories seem too apt to tell similar odes of self-destruction and world-wearying nausea), but this collection merits closer reading, and should be a classic given time and stature.
January 13, 2013
These short stories are sometimes so short and tiny they read more like blog entries or tweets. The longer Museum Of The Sea develops a good rhythm, like the waves against a cliff. Tales' topics range from the everyday Chuckling Boxes to the whimsy of The Field Of Ladders and beyond into the completely believable Summer Of the Pakflake.
Loved it.
Loved it.
March 10, 2012
Quite simply brilliant. This is the only book I've read in the last twelve months that I sincerely wish that I'd written!
March 1, 2014
some great stories - one or two not so great, but all in all a good read
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews