A History of the Beanbag and other stories

A History of the Beanbag is a short story collection with a difference - a scenic tour of the surprises, secrets and fears lurking beneath the cracked veneer of domesticity and suburban complacency.

'It's 1983. The beanbag is making a comeback after several years in decline. Derided for its 1970s hippie associations, it's fast becoming a serviceable item for more conservative couples. Clever marketing has changed its image from freewheeling free love to something "indispensable for the kiddies"...What histories, both micro - and macrocosmic, might lie beneath this loose, baggy monster, this faux-bohemian formlessness, in denim, velvet, corduroy or fur? What stories and silences might be disclosed?'

With photographic precision, in fourteen stories, author Susan Midalia captures the fleeting beauty, light and darkness to be found in the ephemera of everyday life. From the silences between people and the ordinariness of places, objects and events, she conjures stories of intelligence and grace.

The stories are an invitation to settle yourself in for a vivid, haunting, bizarre and strangely comforting reading experience. Get out your beanbag and enjoy!

Susan Midalia grew up in the Western Australian wheat belt near Merredin. After completing her Masters in English Literature at Cambridge University and obtaining a PhD in contemporary Australian Women's fiction from The University of Western Australia, Susan taught secondary and tertiary English. She has published articles in Australian and international literary journals. Awarded the Todhunter Literary Award in 2006, Susan's short fiction has been published in publications such as Salt and Wet Ink. She is married and has two adult sons and is writing full time.

Uwa Press
Author: Susan Midalia
ISBN: 9780980296501
RRP: $24.95