It Was Just, Yesterday [Paperback]

On Christmas Eve, a girl stalks an older man through wintery city streets, haunted by their shared past; in a remote woodland cottage, an eccentric explains to his granddaughter why he shoots cats whenever they make themselves too comfortable; in a checkout queue, a woman suddenly shows charity to a penniless guy she seemingly doesn’t know. The characters in this collection are all, in their own way, evading something, whether failing to confront the true nature of an encounter or avoiding responsibilities as a parent, sibling, or friend. Abuse, betrayal, and neglect lurk beneath a veneer of mutually maintained “normality,” waiting for an opportunity to resurface. Told, in most cases, through the eyes of teenage girls or young women, these stories exhibit a unique prose style that perfectly captures the conversational rhythms—and preoccupations—of a generation.

Unge can do a lot with a little.   —Guardian

Both atmospheric and menacing.   —Manchester Review

A breathtaking and intensive read, full of warmth, humor, and darkness.   —Hallandspostennewspaper

Mirja Unge has once again convinced me that she is one of the most important writers in Sweden today.   —Nerikes Allehandanewspaper

Mirja Ungeis the author of several books in her native Swedish and the recipient of the Katapult Award.Kari Dicksonis a translator and a tutor in Scandinavian studies at the University of Edinburgh.Readers will gain insight into Scandinavian traditions of short story writing and literature, and English speaking readers will be introduced to a new author with her own distinct prose style.