'A lonely yowie emerges from the bush to attend the Desperate and Dateless Ball. Mysterious creatures descend from the sky to place a ban on footy. A shark named Bruce turns up in the local swimming pool. A fisherman enjoying a boys’ weekend on the Murray River finds perspective where he least expects it.
'In Shirl, Wayne Marshall takes a range of what-if scenarios to their fabulist and comedic extremes. Superbly inventive and powerful, these fourteen stories skewer contemporary Australian society – particularly the crises of masculinity and national identity – in insightful and yet hilarious ways, blurring the line between fantasy and reality. This astounding collection will make you rethink what it means to be Australian.' (Publication summary)
Dedication: For my girls: Fleur, Matilda and Lizzy.
And to Jen, for everything.
'The American writer Jack Matthews had no time for what he called ‘a discontent’ with the brevity of the short story. ‘Ask a coral snake,’ he declared, ‘which is as deadly as it is small.’ The claim for ‘deadliness’ certainly applies to four recent début collections; in the tight spaces of the short story, each one presents confronting ideas about contemporary Australia.' (Introduction)
'Wayne Marshall’s debut collection of short stories is a book that can be wholly judged by its cover. On it, a burly bloke embraces a kangaroo who wears a Carlton footy vest – a queer romantic scene that is backlit by the gentle glow of a telly. Marshall’s schtick is injecting Australian tropes with fabulist twists: everything is not what it first seems.' (Introduction)
'Wayne Marshall’s debut collection of short stories is a book that can be wholly judged by its cover. On it, a burly bloke embraces a kangaroo who wears a Carlton footy vest – a queer romantic scene that is backlit by the gentle glow of a telly. Marshall’s schtick is injecting Australian tropes with fabulist twists: everything is not what it first seems.' (Introduction)
'The American writer Jack Matthews had no time for what he called ‘a discontent’ with the brevity of the short story. ‘Ask a coral snake,’ he declared, ‘which is as deadly as it is small.’ The claim for ‘deadliness’ certainly applies to four recent début collections; in the tight spaces of the short story, each one presents confronting ideas about contemporary Australia.' (Introduction)