Moderate to Poor, Occasionally Good

Eley Williams' new collection of short stories explores the nature of relationships, from the easy gamesmanship of contagious yawns to the horror of a smile fixed for just a second too long. It is a Granta Best Young British Novelist and acclaimed author of Attrib. and Other Stories. The stories consider notions of playfulness, authenticity, and care as they hold relationships to account.

Format: Hardback
Length: 208 pages
Publication date: 18 July 2024
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

A thrilling love for the stuff of language … Magical JON McGREGOR ‘Poignant and playful DAILY MAIL ‘A writer with few real rivals IRISH TIMES ‘A visionary writer JAN CARSON The stunning new collection of stories from the award-winning author of The Liars Dictionary and Attrib. and Other Stories. Granta Best Young British novelist and acclaimed author of Attrib. and other stories, Eley Williams returns with a thrilling collection of short stories exploring the nature of relationships both intimate and transient – from the easy gamesmanship of contagious yawns to the horror of a smile fixed for just a second too long. A courtroom sketch artist delights in committing portraits of their lover to paper but their need to capture likenesses forever is revealed to have darker, more complex intentions. A childs schoolyard crush on a saint marks a confrontation with the reality of a teenage body in flux. Elsewhere, an editor of canned laughter loses their confidence and seeks divine intervention, and an essayist annotates their thoughts on Keats by way of internet-gleaned sex tips. Moderate to Poor, Occasionally Good hums with fossicking language and ingenious experiments in form and considers notions of playfulness, authenticity and care as it holds relationships to account: their sweet misunderstandings, soured reflections, queer wish fulfilments and shared, held breaths. ‘Undeniably a skilful book TELEGRAPH ‘Stories that work from the inside out… glancing, intriguing GUARDIAN Erudite and audacious KIERAN GODDARD ‘ Frequently brilliant and deeply pleasurable CAOILINN HUGHES ‘I dont know anyone else who can write like this … What a joy! BEN PESTER ‘A joy for the head and the hea.

Weight: 318g
Dimension: 143 x 224 x 26 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780008618926