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Peripheral Vision: Stories
A teenager on the tram meets an old man claiming to be Jesus Christ. Six young women band together on a night prowl. A Filipino immigrant clashes with his eldest sister, who has brought him to Australia for a better life. And in a future where dogs have risen up against their owners, a mother is alarmed by her adolescent daughter’s behavior. Through such diverse characters, Paddy O’Reilly takes us into the fringes of human nature—our hidden thoughts, our darker impulses, and our unspoken tragedies. By turns elegiac and acerbic, but always acutely observed, Peripheral Vision confirms O’Reilly as one of our most inventive and insightful writers.
- GenresShort Stories
208 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2015
3 people are currently reading
32 people want to read
About the author
Paddy O'Reilly
19 books27 followersPaddy O'Reilly is a writer from Victoria, Australia. Her work has been published and broadcast widely both in Australia and internationally.
Paddy's short story collection, The End of the World (University of Queensland Press) was released to critical acclaim in April, 2007. The stories in the collection have won a number of national and international story awards including 'The Age', the 'Judah Waten', 'Zoetrope All-Story' (USA) and the Commonwealth Broadcasting Corporation (UK).
The End of the World was chosen as one of the year's best books in various publications from Australian Book Review to The Financial Review. It was shortlisted in the Queensland Premier's Literary Awards and commended in the Victorian Premier's Literary Awards.
Paddy's debut novel, The Factory, was also in the best books of the year lists in Australian Book Review and the Sydney Morning Herald and was Highly Commended in the FAW Christina Stead Award for Fiction. It was broadcast in fifteen episodes as the ABC Radio National Book Reading during July 2009.
Her novella 'Deep Water' was published in 2007 as one of four in the novella anthology, Love and Desire (The Five Mile Press).
contact
Contact my agent:
Sophie Hicks at edvictor.co.uk
Email Paddy
news, events, new stories, stuff, click here
She has also written screenplays and worked as additional screenwriter for films which have been nominated for AFI awards and screened nationally and internationally.
Paddy has been Asialink writer-in-residence in Japan, a fellow at Varuna: the Writers' House, writer-in-residence at Kelly Steps Cottage, Tasmania, and The Lockup, Newcastle, presenter and reader at the International Conference on the Short Story in Toronto and a full fellow at the Vermont Studio Center, USA.
Paddy has spent several years living in Japan, working as a copywriter and translator.
Paddy's short story collection, The End of the World (University of Queensland Press) was released to critical acclaim in April, 2007. The stories in the collection have won a number of national and international story awards including 'The Age', the 'Judah Waten', 'Zoetrope All-Story' (USA) and the Commonwealth Broadcasting Corporation (UK).
The End of the World was chosen as one of the year's best books in various publications from Australian Book Review to The Financial Review. It was shortlisted in the Queensland Premier's Literary Awards and commended in the Victorian Premier's Literary Awards.
Paddy's debut novel, The Factory, was also in the best books of the year lists in Australian Book Review and the Sydney Morning Herald and was Highly Commended in the FAW Christina Stead Award for Fiction. It was broadcast in fifteen episodes as the ABC Radio National Book Reading during July 2009.
Her novella 'Deep Water' was published in 2007 as one of four in the novella anthology, Love and Desire (The Five Mile Press).
contact
Contact my agent:
Sophie Hicks at edvictor.co.uk
Email Paddy
news, events, new stories, stuff, click here
She has also written screenplays and worked as additional screenwriter for films which have been nominated for AFI awards and screened nationally and internationally.
Paddy has been Asialink writer-in-residence in Japan, a fellow at Varuna: the Writers' House, writer-in-residence at Kelly Steps Cottage, Tasmania, and The Lockup, Newcastle, presenter and reader at the International Conference on the Short Story in Toronto and a full fellow at the Vermont Studio Center, USA.
Paddy has spent several years living in Japan, working as a copywriter and translator.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 31, 2016
It is exciting to discover a new author with a distinctive voice. I read this book of short stories on the recommendation of Booktopia's Caro Baum, who never disappoints with her intelligent suggestions.
Paddy has an amazing ability to bring brooding menace and unease to her stories which as a reader is as seductive as it is unsettling.
Read this book one story at a time. Slow your reading down to relish the perfect moments that hit you with their familiarity, filaments of your own life, but more so in memory. Fragments of childhood fears, daily randomness of how lives interact. Those we observe in public places appear in these pages.
An acute observer into small moments in the every day that can be unnerving, although comforting, as the experience is not ours alone.
There is style and orginality in this writing, with such quiet confidence.
Really loved this book and recommend it highly.
Paddy has an amazing ability to bring brooding menace and unease to her stories which as a reader is as seductive as it is unsettling.
Read this book one story at a time. Slow your reading down to relish the perfect moments that hit you with their familiarity, filaments of your own life, but more so in memory. Fragments of childhood fears, daily randomness of how lives interact. Those we observe in public places appear in these pages.
An acute observer into small moments in the every day that can be unnerving, although comforting, as the experience is not ours alone.
There is style and orginality in this writing, with such quiet confidence.
Really loved this book and recommend it highly.
February 27, 2022
Tight controlled writing. Interesting and varied stories and scenarios. O'Reilly burns some very memorable images into your mind.
January 19, 2016
Such a great collection of short stories - each leaving you satisfied after giving an insightful snippet into many (very different) lives. Wholly captures different individuals at brief moments of their lives.
July 29, 2015
A number of the pieces in Paddy O'Reilly's new collection operate as vignettes rather than stories. Such pieces are vivid evocations of mood and place, in which the underlying drama is implied rather than brought to the fore. The more fleshed-out narratives range from the empowering ("Territory") to the devastating ("One Good Thing"); from the reflective and melancholy ("Deja Vu", "Something To Take Care Of", "Stingers", "The City Circle") to the speculative ("Procession", "Restraints") and the comically off-beat ("The Word"). This last story is not only funny, in a familiarly uncomfortable fashion, but also explores social decay and domestic conflict openly and honestly.
O'Reilly is keenly attuned to both private experience, often glimpsed in childhood ("One Good Thing", "Something To Take Care Of") and the menace and violence that permeates contemporary Australian society ("The Salesman", "Recreation", "Territory"). But I have rarely encountered a writer who so effortlessly combines seriousness with hilarious one-liners. There are several genuine laugh-out-loud moments in this book, but O'Reilly's style and her treatment of her subjects is never glib or flippant.
An excellent, multi-faceted collection that deserves a wide audience.
O'Reilly is keenly attuned to both private experience, often glimpsed in childhood ("One Good Thing", "Something To Take Care Of") and the menace and violence that permeates contemporary Australian society ("The Salesman", "Recreation", "Territory"). But I have rarely encountered a writer who so effortlessly combines seriousness with hilarious one-liners. There are several genuine laugh-out-loud moments in this book, but O'Reilly's style and her treatment of her subjects is never glib or flippant.
An excellent, multi-faceted collection that deserves a wide audience.
July 21, 2016
Another great addition to the UQP list is this new collection of short stories by Paddy O'Reilly, Peripheral Vision. These poignant vignettes of life are perfectly structured. Some have the trademark short story twist at the end of the tale, but many are simply acute and vivid depictions of life and our humanity. Reading Paddy O'Reilly's stories is like slipping into someone else's skin. And while I love the in-depth engagement of a novel, there is something comforting about the short form - it's easy to read a complete story just before bed, or on public transport, or while waiting for an appointment. A few minutes of pure escapism. I particularly like the sinister creepiness of The Salesman, the youthful angst of Stingers, the disturbing anthropomorphism of Restraints, the chilling and timely reality of A Short History of Peace, the horror of One Good Thing, and the Armageddon of Breaking Up.
May 27, 2015
[cw: r*pe, sexism, racism, suicide, drug use, animal abuse, abusive men]
I enjoyed this mix of stories. Some were a little flat, some left me wanting to know more and others were just right. The one that had the r*pe story in it was a bit confronting and could have done with a warning so as not to trigger people.
My favourites were:
"A Short History of Peace"; this one made me sad and think of how lucky I am, as well as feel horror at what we do to one another.
"Territory"; this one did not go where I was expecting and in fact made me really happy with where it went :).
"Serenity Prayer"; this story was horrific in its own special kind of way and I loved it.
I enjoyed this mix of stories. Some were a little flat, some left me wanting to know more and others were just right. The one that had the r*pe story in it was a bit confronting and could have done with a warning so as not to trigger people.
My favourites were:
"A Short History of Peace"; this one made me sad and think of how lucky I am, as well as feel horror at what we do to one another.
"Territory"; this one did not go where I was expecting and in fact made me really happy with where it went :).
"Serenity Prayer"; this story was horrific in its own special kind of way and I loved it.
July 24, 2015
I was lucky enough to catch up with Paddy O'Reilly on the day that Peripheral Vision was released. It was part of my series 'Words Out: plotting Melbourne's future literary map' posted on my blog - you can see how much I enjoyed meeting Paddy and reading this collection of short stories here:
http://jen-squire.blogspot.com.au/201...
http://jen-squire.blogspot.com.au/201...
April 22, 2017
What a complete waste of my reading time. Sorry folks but gave this one star for the writing style but it was the biggest load of crap I've ever read. Perhaps definitely not my type of book. I don't mind short stories but rarely read them. Some of these were rather disturbing and complete nonsense. I only borrowed this as the writer came to Adelaide Writers Week last year 2016. Don't think I'll bother with any more of his books if this is the type of content. Not my cup of tea at all and I'll try any genre except fantasy or sci-fi. I did find it interesting to read some of the reviews here!?! Much better than the book.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews