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Past, Present, Future and The Weird: A collection of Short, Shorter, and Even Shorter Stories
237 pages, Paperback
Published March 11, 2026
About the author
M.J. White
3 books21 followersM.J. White is a writer/storyteller based in Hampshire (UK). He holds first-class BA and MA degrees in Creative Writing from the University of Winchester, where he is currently working on his PhD. A new blog featuring his research will appear on this page soon.
His latest work, "Past, Present, Future, and the Weird", is set for release on the 26th of June, 2026. A collection of short stories.
If M.J. White is not writing, he can often be found procrastinating, growing vegetables, making jam, or out walking with his dog (Maggie).
His latest work, "Past, Present, Future, and the Weird", is set for release on the 26th of June, 2026. A collection of short stories.
If M.J. White is not writing, he can often be found procrastinating, growing vegetables, making jam, or out walking with his dog (Maggie).
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 18, 2026
My personal favourite stories in this anthology were When the Rain Came and The Chronicles of Chronos Hemlock. Reading When the Rain Came in the dark during those underground scenes might not have been clever, as the tense atmosphere made me fear for my own safety in the dim light as I did the protagonist's.
M.J. White blends the weird and the macabre in his mix of dark, silly and insightful short stories. From adapting and reimagining gothic classics such as The Tell Tale Heart to taking the reader on a unique journey to kill Barthes and his ideas (thanks on behalf of all of us who were told to read it every year), Past, Present, Future and the Weird is a whiplash of narratives that made me scratch my head, grimace, roll my eyes laughing, and just bask in the ease of absurdity I love in stories.
M.J. White blends the weird and the macabre in his mix of dark, silly and insightful short stories. From adapting and reimagining gothic classics such as The Tell Tale Heart to taking the reader on a unique journey to kill Barthes and his ideas (thanks on behalf of all of us who were told to read it every year), Past, Present, Future and the Weird is a whiplash of narratives that made me scratch my head, grimace, roll my eyes laughing, and just bask in the ease of absurdity I love in stories.
July 10, 2026
4.5 stars
true to its title, this short story collection explores a vast selection of time periods, enriched by characters from a variety of cultures, from the real to the dystopian. be warned, the weird spills over from its section and grasps every story in its deliciously twisted roots.
m.j. white showcases a wealth of knowledge - taking literary classics and reworking them through a modern critical lens; tackling issues of identity, politics, immigration, consumerism, and more - all wrapped in his signature atmospheric descriptions. the characters are diverse and thoughtfully crafted, and there is much to resonate with in their experiences.
my personal favourites:
red star, the big smoker, i want for nothing, when the rain came, the chronicles of chromos hemlock
true to its title, this short story collection explores a vast selection of time periods, enriched by characters from a variety of cultures, from the real to the dystopian. be warned, the weird spills over from its section and grasps every story in its deliciously twisted roots.
m.j. white showcases a wealth of knowledge - taking literary classics and reworking them through a modern critical lens; tackling issues of identity, politics, immigration, consumerism, and more - all wrapped in his signature atmospheric descriptions. the characters are diverse and thoughtfully crafted, and there is much to resonate with in their experiences.
my personal favourites:
red star, the big smoker, i want for nothing, when the rain came, the chronicles of chromos hemlock
July 7, 2026
This is such a wonderful collection of short stories by the creative MJ White. I absolutely loved reading this book and couldn’t put it down.
The stories are completely varied which holds the readers interests and so well written, I found it easy it visualise the stories (always helpful to a dyslexic reader).
I particularly enjoyed The Secret Society of Inverted Gentleman, very witty which suits the subject. And The Red Scarf left me wanting to know more, so many questions.
I highly recommend this book if you are a keen reader or are wanting to get into reading.
I rate this book 📚📚📚📚📚
The stories are completely varied which holds the readers interests and so well written, I found it easy it visualise the stories (always helpful to a dyslexic reader).
I particularly enjoyed The Secret Society of Inverted Gentleman, very witty which suits the subject. And The Red Scarf left me wanting to know more, so many questions.
I highly recommend this book if you are a keen reader or are wanting to get into reading.
I rate this book 📚📚📚📚📚
August 4, 2026
I really love this collection of short stories. They are all very different but each is incredibly clever and absorbing. The author has grouped the stories into four themes based on when the stories are set in time. I particularly like the way the author has captured the voice of the period in which he is writing. The stories set in the past have a real Victorian feel to them and those set in the future are incredibly inventive with the language they use to capture future events. The last set of short stories I read that are as good as these was by Arthur Conan Doyle. I think that is a testament to how good a writer Martin White is. I highly recommend this book to readers of short form fiction.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews