Tuesday's Pick

Reading Ali Smith's The First Person and Other Stories, it feels as if you have climbed into her head to view the world through her eyes and meet the quirky people she knows and sees in ordinary everyday encounters. Fragments of conversations that her eavesdropping antennae pick up turn into stories so mischievous and with characters so complex, that their sly wit, intelligence and sometimes downright creepy ways make for a lively and enjoyable read. You can never anticipate the spin these stories will take as they end.

This is short story writing pared down to the point of perfection. Smith's talent is impressive and proves yet again that she is at the top of her form.