'To read him is to be reminded not just of the possibilities of fiction but of the human heart.' The Times 'Each of these 17 stories is a self-contained whole - as all good short stories should be - yet the sequence reveals striking connections among seemingly disparate lives and experiences. The result is at times mysterious, moving and occasionally deeply unsettling ...A memorable book and a fine achievement.' - Sydney Morning Herald 'The writing is frankly brilliant ...Winton shows us how startling ordinary life is. And he does it in a way that's more amazing than if he had shown a ghost shimmering on the page.' - Boston Globe