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Small Mercies
In June, 2006, Picador launch Picador Shots, a new series of pocket-sized books priced at 1. The Shots aim to promote the short story as well as the work of some Picador's greatest authors. They will be contemporarily packaged but ultimately disposable books that are the ideal literary alternative to a magazine.
Tim Winton's SMALL MERCIES will be one of the first shots and comes from Tim Winton's latest collection, The Turning.
Small Mercies is a beautifully crafted story that is as tender as it is confronting. Pete Dyson is devasted after the suicide of his young wife and desperate to deal with his grief to protect his four-year old son. Realising that the only way to move on is to effectively move back, he returns to his home town and to the ghosts of his past that seem far too ready to haunt him all over again - particularly that of his destructive and devasting first love, Fay.
Tim Winton's SMALL MERCIES will be one of the first shots and comes from Tim Winton's latest collection, The Turning.
Small Mercies is a beautifully crafted story that is as tender as it is confronting. Pete Dyson is devasted after the suicide of his young wife and desperate to deal with his grief to protect his four-year old son. Realising that the only way to move on is to effectively move back, he returns to his home town and to the ghosts of his past that seem far too ready to haunt him all over again - particularly that of his destructive and devasting first love, Fay.
Paperback
Published January 1, 2006
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About the author
Tim Winton
76 books2,373 followersTim Winton was born in Perth, Western Australia, but moved at a young age to the small country town of Albany.
While a student at Curtin University of Technology, Winton wrote his first novel, An Open Swimmer. It went on to win The Australian/Vogel Literary Award in 1981, and launched his writing career. In fact, he wrote "the best part of three books while at university". His second book, Shallows, won the Miles Franklin Award in 1984. It wasn't until Cloudstreet was published in 1991, however, that his career and economic future were cemented.
In 1995 Winton’s novel, The Riders, was shortlisted for the Booker Prize, as was his 2002 book, Dirt Music. Both are currently being adapted for film. He has won many other prizes, including the Miles Franklin Award three times: for Shallows (1984), Cloudstreet (1992) and Dirt Music (2002). Cloudstreet is arguably his best-known work, regularly appearing in lists of Australia’s best-loved novels. His latest novel, released in 2013, is called Eyrie.
He is now one of Australia's most esteemed novelists, writing for both adults and children. All his books are still in print and have been published in eighteen different languages. His work has also been successfully adapted for stage, screen and radio. On the publication of his novel, Dirt Music, he collaborated with broadcaster, Lucky Oceans, to produce a compilation CD, Dirt Music – Music for a Novel.
He has lived in Italy, France, Ireland and Greece but currently lives in Western Australia with his wife and three children.
While a student at Curtin University of Technology, Winton wrote his first novel, An Open Swimmer. It went on to win The Australian/Vogel Literary Award in 1981, and launched his writing career. In fact, he wrote "the best part of three books while at university". His second book, Shallows, won the Miles Franklin Award in 1984. It wasn't until Cloudstreet was published in 1991, however, that his career and economic future were cemented.
In 1995 Winton’s novel, The Riders, was shortlisted for the Booker Prize, as was his 2002 book, Dirt Music. Both are currently being adapted for film. He has won many other prizes, including the Miles Franklin Award three times: for Shallows (1984), Cloudstreet (1992) and Dirt Music (2002). Cloudstreet is arguably his best-known work, regularly appearing in lists of Australia’s best-loved novels. His latest novel, released in 2013, is called Eyrie.
He is now one of Australia's most esteemed novelists, writing for both adults and children. All his books are still in print and have been published in eighteen different languages. His work has also been successfully adapted for stage, screen and radio. On the publication of his novel, Dirt Music, he collaborated with broadcaster, Lucky Oceans, to produce a compilation CD, Dirt Music – Music for a Novel.
He has lived in Italy, France, Ireland and Greece but currently lives in Western Australia with his wife and three children.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 7, 2022
Hidden in the short stories' shelf of my local library it was read in a morning and thoroughly enjoyed. It left me wanting more, and I will definitely search for other works of Tim Winton
November 20, 2025
A short story about the weight of regret and trying to start again. Still felt a bit too thin and flimsy though.
December 17, 2021
I discovered Tim Winton as author this year only and his fascinating characters with their unusual relationships also feature in this short story. His insight into humanity is incisive and compelling.
October 13, 2009
Learned not to waste £1 on a book; knew it was small, but this is taking the pee!
February 27, 2014
The plot was kind of 'ehh' but the writing was amazing.
November 19, 2015
I wanted to use this as my related text (in relation to The Tempest, and the notion of 'discovery'). However, after reading it I did not find this to be substantial enough for a comparative essay...
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews