Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1082118 in Books
• Published on: 2008-01-30
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 350 pages

Synopsis
"Messages" is the result of an exciting writing collaboration between Lynne Rees and Sarah Salway. Ranging from moving to the playful, the themes of love, sex, life, death and chocolate all take their place in this unique book of 300 pieces of 300 words.

Customer Reviews

Extraordinarily inventive
I've never read a book like this before. It's like an advent calendar, or strangers glimpsed from a lighted train. Each very short story echoes some aspect of the previous one but takes off in a different direction, and the themes run from familiar ones like love and loss, to the surreal and disturbing. Some of the ideas are so original they've haunted me ever since, and some of the comic pieces made me laugh out loud. The binding's also delicious. A real treat.

300 x 300 - Brilliant!
The concept behind this book was to write 300 pieces, each consisting of exactly 300 words. The two authors took it in turns, with a 72 hour deadline for each one. Each piece was to have some connection to the previous, be it the theme, or just a word.

The book opens with a short introduction from each author, which adds a personal touch right at the outset. Tucked inside the messages is a further personal one, just waiting to be found.

The messages themselves are varied, ranging from touching, to amusing. Some of the links between the pieces are obvious, some more subtle.. and that's part of the joy of this book, you have no idea what awaits you as you turn each page.

I've previously read Sarah's Leading The Dance, a collection of short stories which I enjoyed, and will be going back to. I am now awaiting the arrival of The Oven House, by Lynne Rees, as I very much enjoyed her style too. The two ladies compliment each other well, and I'd love to know who wrote which piece. :)