Strange Little Books I loved

Everyone seems to be making lists of books they've loved lately. Here are mine. They're not all new books, but are new to me this year. This is my list of favourite books of stories I read this year (there are many more books of stories I loved, but I read them last year.) Many of these I got interested in after reading 'Short Circuit' (Salt)- A Guide to the Art of the Short Story. I already enjoyed collections by many of the writers in the book (Vanessa Gebbie, Tania Hershman, Alex Keegan, Nuala Ni Chonchuir, David Gaffney) but some of the writers were newer to me. I read their essays, then bought their books.
Sarah Salway and Adam Marek discussed their choices when writing certain stories in such an interesting way I had to go and read them straight away (a writer talking about someone getting their fridge painted and another talking about hey Jude abd zombies? who could resist?)

Aimee Bender - 'Willfil Creatures'-

I loved these stories, how they seem unusual but still have a point ( a man keeping a tiny man as a pet in a cage by his bed, a woman who finds a place that sells words)- amazing writing. (currently waiting for more to arrive!)

Etgar Keret - 'Missing Kissinger' or 'The Nimrod Flip out'-

I read these for the first time in january. They are so good I've read them more than once. I love the poigniant emotional tug behind the oddness (the girl in the bottle, a magician who is afraid of what he may pull out his hat- beautiful, sad and strange.)

Sarah Salway - 'Leading the Dance'- I enjoyed 'Messages' (flash) so much I had to buy this. I expected alot from it and wasn't disappointed. It was even better when it arrived and turned out to be signed! :)

Nik Perring-(flash) 'Not So Perfect' (Roastbooks)

Don't let the title fool you, only someone who writes this good would dare give a book such a title. (otherwise sarcy reviewers would rub their hands together.) Again, unusual little stories but with a real point to them. Lonely people with real beating hearts in the most unusual of places in this book (a man listening to someone crying on the other side of a wall, an angel in a carpark, a shark boy in love.) Amidst strangeness is sadness and hope. These stories hit the right note. Wonderful.

Dan Rhodes-(flash) 'Anthropology'

100 stories of 100 words, light in tone, addictive somehow. Some of them decieve, they start and almost feel like jokes. The best sneak up with little truths about love that caught me unawares and made me smile.

Adam Marek- 'Instruction Manual for Swallowing'

I'm one of those people who never buys anything I hear lots about till later. (I didn't see The Simpsons when it first aired and there were t-shirts everywhere, or The Office till after it was aired- then I found them when I wasn't hearing about them so much and loved them.)(Awkward bugger? I like to think of it as not too susceptible to advertising - discerning book buyer :) I've heard a lot of good things about this book since it came out. I finally bought it this year. The stories, again, are outside the box: zombies, a giant creature in the city, modern art gone wrong). Often they have a cinematic feel (someone make a movie of Meaty's Boys now) but beyond the situation more is at stake, little morsels about human nature to go away and chew (Meaty's Boys, Jumping Jennifer are sublime.) Wow.