Highlighting a cross-section of cultures, voices, landscapes, and recent histories of 10 major European cities, this short fiction collection presents new perspectives on the urban experience. Depicting characters that are only loosely connected to the societies that they describe, these tales offer snapshots of each city through isolated glimpses enlivened by surrealist wit—a lonely woman in Amsterdam cooks for a circle of middle-aged bachelors; a poet in Barcelona tries to capture the essence of the city in 11 words; and an unemployed journalist wanders in his deserted office in Reykjavik.
Europe is heavy with history and the trace left by cataclysm and upheaval. These are present in these tales, and yet coexist with a kind of wry and knowing playfulness. . . . a stellar collection. —A. S. Byatt,The Times
Acquaint yourself with these fresh and varied new literary voices. . . .
a fine streetwise cacophony. —The Independent
Maria Crossanis the editor of several anthologies, includingThe Book of Leeds,The Book of Liverpool, The Book of Manchester, andThe Book of Newcastle.Karen Emmerichhas translated work by Vassilis Vassilikos, Yiorgos Skabardonis, Rhea Galanake, and a variety of Greek poets.
It will introduce them to the cultures, voices, landscapes and recent histories of ten major European cities, through highly engaging stories.