Changing Babies

by Deborah Moggach

Changing Babies will delight both die-hard fans of Deborah Moggach's books and those readers new to her charm and wit. In it she writes of a woman who thinks she has found the perfect man until he becomes too mysterious for words; of a rock star writing his memoirs who can't remember a thing; of harassed teenagers and harangued fathers; of opera lovers, Belgian lovers, young lovers and romance on the Costa del Sol courtesy of Sunspan Holidays. Here are fifteen brilliant stories - all sharp, funny and painfully accurate.

Genres: Fiction, Short Stories

226 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Deborah Moggach is a British writer, born Deborah Hough on 28 June 1948. She has written fifteen novels to date, including The Ex-Wives, Tulip Fever, and, most recently, These Foolish Things. She has adapted many of her novels as TV dramas and has also written several film scripts, including the BAFTA-nominated screenplay for Pride & Prejudice. She has also written two collections of short stories and a stage play. In February 2005, Moggach was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters degree by her Alma Mater, the University of Bristol . She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, a former Chair of the Society of Authors, and is on the executive committee of PEN.

Reviews

[Katie Carina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this collection of short stories. There is gentle humour, the small child whose misunderstanding of 'baby changing' brought his parents back together; clever linking between relationships in 'family feeling' and happy endings. Really who could ask for more

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars overall

Changing Babies – 3.5
The run up to Christmas seen through the eyes of a child whose parents have separated. No one explains things to him properly so he gets a lot confused.

Suspicion – 3.5
A woman meets a man and lets him move in. She then gets very suspicious of him against a backdrop of the IRA terrorist attacks. Not a terrorist, just married.

Ta for the Memories – 3.5
An editor meets the lead singer of a band and helps him ‘create’ his autobiography.

Stopping at the Lights – 3.5

How I Learnt To Be a Real Countrywoman – 3.5
An ingenious way to save a local wood from a proposed bypass.

Family Feelings (5 linked stories) – 3.5

A Pedicure in Florence – 3
Two mothers and two daughters go on holiday in Italy. It doesn’t go to plan.

Summer Bedding – 3

Getting Him Taped – 3

Lucky Dip – 3.5

Empire Building - 3.5

Stiff Competition – 3

Buzz, An Eighties Soap Opera in Five Parts - 3

[Jeff Hobbs · Rating 2 out of 5]

The title story only

[Caroline Taggart · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Deborah Moggach’s work (she wrote the wonderful book on which The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel was based) and these short stories are smart, tart and insightful. A lot of them are also very funny, in a wry, oh-yes-been-there sort of way. In the title story, a small boy accompanies his mother to the local swimming pool and, in the changing room, asks what that table is for. ‘Changing babies,’ she says, absently. Panic! Changing babies? What if his parents decide they don’t like him any more and want to change him? ‘Ta for the Memory’ is a droll account of a ghost writer’s attempts to wrest a story out of a rock star who clearly doesn’t remember a thing; and ‘Family Feelings’ consists of five linked stories about the complications of divorce, remarriage, difficult teenage daughters and falling in love again when you are old enough to know better. A treat.

[Tanis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this collection of short stories, I love Deborah Moggach. I remember the tv adaptation of Stolen from the 80's and always look out for her books when I'm in charity shops. The only duff one in this collection is the last one 'Buzz' which was a bit silly and not a great story. All the others are gems. She reminds me a bit of Sue Townsend who I also love.

[Jayne Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this collection of short and not-so-short stories, all of which are written in Moggach's entertaining and wry style. I particularly liked the last one, an 'eighties soap opera in five parts' which satirises that decade perfectly.

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

This small book is packed with wonderful short stories.

[Jacquie Denton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love anything by this author