'A group of friends on an unconventional diet learn some important life lessons, a fashion-challenged grandmother weaves some magic in a dusty charity shop, a grieving young mother takes a healing journey, and a shy woman from a family of high-achieves learns to follow her dreams.
'From one of Australia's most loved authors comes All Together Now, a collection of Monica McInerney's short fiction gathered between two covers for the first time. Including several of her earliest magazine short stories, contributions to recent anthologies, her popular novella, Odd One Out, and two new stories...
'Family relationships, sibling rivalry, love lost and love found - these stories touch on the popular themes of Monica McInerney's hugely successful novels, and are brimming with her trademark colour, warmth and humour.' (Publisher's blurb)
'Sylvie has always been the odd one out in her family. Her mother is a celebrated artist, known for her bohemian lifestyle. Her father, long estranged from the family, is a respected poet and academic.
'Sylvie's two beautiful sisters and her big brother are also making their mark in the design world. Sylvie hasn't an artistic bone in her body. On the verge of turning thirty, back living in the family home in Sydney and working for her mother and sisters, she feels stuck in a major rut.
'Then her brother Sebastian steps in with a rescue plan. He offers her a room in his Melbourne apartment for as long as she likes, on one condition. In an updated version of a treasure hunting game they played as children, she has to follow his instructions and go exploring the city.
'Within days, she's doing things she's never done before, going to places she's never been and beginning to think of ideas for a new career. She is also getting to know a very lovely man. Life is looking up.
'Then Sebastian reveals one final challenge...'
Source: Books Alive website, http://www.booksalive.com.au/
Sighted: 17/07/2006
