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Scablands
Tales of the post industrial scablands - stories of austerity, poverty, masochism and migration. The people are sick, lonely, lost, half living in the aftermath of upheaval or trauma. A teacher obsessively canes himself. A neurologist forgets where home is. A starving woman sells hugs in an abandoned kiosk.
Yet sometimes, even in the twilit scablands, there's also beauty, music, laughter. Sometimes a town square is filled with bubbles. Sometimes sisters dream they can fly. And sometimes Gustav Mahler lives just around the corner, hoarding rare records in a Stoke terrace.
Yet sometimes, even in the twilit scablands, there's also beauty, music, laughter. Sometimes a town square is filled with bubbles. Sometimes sisters dream they can fly. And sometimes Gustav Mahler lives just around the corner, hoarding rare records in a Stoke terrace.
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 6, 2024
Probably the best short story collection I've read - loved it
May 26, 2026
Each story was uniquely captivating, and the various lengths created an overall pace that matched the book's genre, a kaleidoscope symphony of its very own. With such a busy life (like most of us have) and not nearly enough free time as I'd like, the book was perfect for me to dip in and out of. It may sound cliché but 'Scablands and Other Stories' truly was the type of book that I could not put down.
Every night for the past week, I found myself wanting to read "just one more story" - like my daughter regularly asks me at the end of one of her Disney bedtime stories. Being an adult, however, I was able to make my own hypocritical decision and would continue reading Taylor's book long into the night, enjoying the fully immersive worlds and (mostly) endearing characters.
I especially loved 'A Sentimental Story', 'Heat Death', and of course 'Scablands' - the final story that will stay with me for a long time, just as, I imagine, the memory of Mr Chandler will stay with the boy-who-is-no-longer-new.
Thank you, Jonathan, for this collection of bittersweet escapism. I'm looking forward to reading more of your work!
Every night for the past week, I found myself wanting to read "just one more story" - like my daughter regularly asks me at the end of one of her Disney bedtime stories. Being an adult, however, I was able to make my own hypocritical decision and would continue reading Taylor's book long into the night, enjoying the fully immersive worlds and (mostly) endearing characters.
I especially loved 'A Sentimental Story', 'Heat Death', and of course 'Scablands' - the final story that will stay with me for a long time, just as, I imagine, the memory of Mr Chandler will stay with the boy-who-is-no-longer-new.
Thank you, Jonathan, for this collection of bittersweet escapism. I'm looking forward to reading more of your work!
November 21, 2023
The Scablands are vast barren areas in the USA riddled with fissures. A scab is a person that breaks a picket line during industrial action. A scab is hard and unattractive. A scab covers an area that has been hurt, and needs time to heal. This book is not set in America.
Buckle in as we head on this lyrical journey to the Scablands: the stories vary in length, some barely a page, others develop in over thirty. The city setting has a park, shops and even a Lovers Walk. It sounds divine but we soon realise it’s a place "brimful of loneliness" packed with "affection-starved strangers." This is very much a book of "sorrowful voices." Don’t worry - you can buy a hug from a booth for £2 there if it gets a bit much.
There’s suicide, amputation, self harm and ever-unfulfilled wishes. The lonely converge here, but Taylor’s poetic use of language ensures reading is a joy not a chore.
Full review: https://everybodysreviewing.blogspot....
Buckle in as we head on this lyrical journey to the Scablands: the stories vary in length, some barely a page, others develop in over thirty. The city setting has a park, shops and even a Lovers Walk. It sounds divine but we soon realise it’s a place "brimful of loneliness" packed with "affection-starved strangers." This is very much a book of "sorrowful voices." Don’t worry - you can buy a hug from a booth for £2 there if it gets a bit much.
There’s suicide, amputation, self harm and ever-unfulfilled wishes. The lonely converge here, but Taylor’s poetic use of language ensures reading is a joy not a chore.
Full review: https://everybodysreviewing.blogspot....
March 9, 2024
This is an exceptional body of work. The stories punch with the weight of experience and the skill of a writer in their prime.
The stories are short enough to be read in a single sitting, so if you're a 'one short story a day' type, this will keep you going for almost 3 weeks.
I fell in love with this collection from the first paragraph, and I'm sure that you will too.
The stories are short enough to be read in a single sitting, so if you're a 'one short story a day' type, this will keep you going for almost 3 weeks.
I fell in love with this collection from the first paragraph, and I'm sure that you will too.
January 5, 2025
Beautifully haunting writing from Jonathan, as always.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews