The Last Wilkie's and Other Stories

(Paperback)

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Description

This is, at first glance, a quite disparate collection of stories. Some are very, very short; others are longer. Some are humorous and conceptual; others are more conventional narratives. The settings range from New York to Texas to San Francisco to Sydney, even Malaysia and Lismore. The characters vary in age from three years old in 'Rights of Man' to nonagenarians in 'Shady Oaks.' And yet this varied assemblage of work is unified by a few core themes: the search for one's place in the world, failed attempts to connect with other people, and lofty aspirations not acted upon. '...fluent and funny, as always.' TEGAN BENNETT 'I had to stop reading 'Robber' at work for fear that someone would ask me to explain my uncontrollable laughter. You can't explain why Jon's writing is so brilliant; you have to read it to understand his mastery of dialogue and pace.' ZOE SADOKIERSKI JON STEINER is a writer and screenwriter who lives in Sydney. An American by birth, he migrated to Australia in 2000. His work has appeared in the UTS Writers' Anthology and two Spineless Wonders productions, Escape and Little Fictions.

Reviews

The Last Wilkie's and Other Stories is a quirky collection of short stories that are by turns funny, dark and troubling. Some are only a few sentences long; others span 10-15 pages. All are effortless to read and laced with a quick, sardonic wit that pokes fun at the life narratives we so earnestly attempt to create. In 'Jungle Train', Steiner articulates a modern relationship nightmare-the narrator is stuck on a stuffy foreign train with a sullen girlfriend, her silently judging parents and no snacks-yet somehow she manages to triumph. In 'Rights of Man', a temper tantrum is narrated from the perspective of the toddler in absurdly formal and amusingly inadequate language. 'Summit' is a more poignant and serious story about the doomed trajectory of a relationship, while 'Open for Inspection' and 'Gecko' resonate with a deep sadness about the passing of things. The term 'quirky' is often used in a dismissive way, yet neatly describes how Steiner's stories combine emotional clout with comic relief. Steiner's work has previously appeared in the UTS Writers' Anthology and two Spineless Wonders publications, and he is clearly a writer who delights in approaching the short story format at new and challenging angles. BOOKSELLER + PUBLISHING

Author Bio

Jon Steiner studied creative writing at the University of Technology Sydney.