Minimum of Two
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- €6.99
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- €6.99
Publisher Description
‘These stories are a wonderful introduction to his quirky fictional world – gutsy, funny, lyrical but unpretentious.' – Independent
Tim Winton’s second short-story collection explores the complexity of human relationships through the themes of futility and hope, revenge and redemption, birth and death that twist through each tale in turn, emerging, re-emerging, competing, conflicting. As characters, too, surface and reappear, their lives are slowly, painstakingly revealed. Through frozen moments and stolen glances, their stories – and histories – are told, their emotions exposed, their souls stripped bare.
Threaded together by Tim Winton’s haunting prose, the tales in Minimum of Two ultimately offer an optimistic view of the world in which we live.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Beginning with his first novel, published when he was 21, the Australian author's works have all earned prizes; so too has this memorable collection of 14 stories, which won the Miles Franklin Award. The most intimate and sensitive of the tales center on incidents affecting a young family: Jerra and Rachel Nilsam and their baby Sam. Working their way through crises that imperil their marriage, the prickly couple makes its survival extremely important to the reader. The relationship is particularly at risk in ``Gravity,'' when Jerra takes the little boy on an outing and they return late for a big party where dear friends are gathered. Rachel is cool in her anger; the guests transparently hide their hurt and Jerra can't force himself to ``smooth things over.'' His thoughts are on his father, recently dead, and he realizes the impossibility of explaining the loss. Jerra's loneliness and questions about life end in an ineffably sweet moment that proves love endures and needs no explanation. All the selections are strong and beautifully written, but those about the Nilsams stay longest in one's memory.
