Something to Say (short stories) by Frankie Magazine: book review

Something to Say (2016) is a collection of short stories previously published over the past (and first) 12 years in Australia’s Frankie Magazine, an online Australian fashion magazine.

The 62 very short stories (2-3 pages long) are by 22 mostly Australian authors (15 female and 7 males). They are all personal stories told in the first person. They are all generally daily-life stories, such as ‘Not a Morning Person’ – ‘Flying the Coop’ – ‘How Uni Melted my Brain’ – ‘An Open Letter to my Clothes.’

Each of the stories has a brief, snappy introduction. For example, in ‘Person Wanted’ the introduction commences: ‘The ideal employee kicks the covers off their bed at 6am sharp.’ In ‘Don’t You Forget about me’ the introduction commences: ‘I have the most forgettable face in the world.’

The collection has variable styles – funny, intellectual, morose, self-reflective, sad, rude, witty, and wistful.

Each of the writers has something to say – and it is short, to the point, and bound to be relatable to a wide audience, especially the young (under 50), and those pondering life’s challenges.

This is an interesting collection of stories for everyone and anyone. The length of the stories enables readers to dip in and out of the collection for a quick satisfying experience.

MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

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