Close To Home

by Robin Barker

Stories of life, love & family from the bestselling author of Baby Love

A distraught father is prevented from comforting his little boy. A baby’s life is put in danger by a well-meaning but offbeat couple. Two mothers fight each other for the love of their son. A couple’s desperation for a child leads to a chain of unpredictable events ...

Robin Barker’s fascination with families over the last six decades – their hopes and disappointments, loves and deceits – is superbly captured in ten acutely observed stories of anguish and triumph.

Genres: Fiction, Short Stories

256 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2015

About the author

Robin Barker, retired registered nurse, midwife and child and family health nurse, is the author of Australia’s baby care classics, Baby Love and The Mighty Toddler. Close to Home is her first book of fiction.

Robin lives surrounded by her family in Sydney, near a famous beach where she swims out beyond the break several times a week.

Reviews

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

A few of these short stories will really stay with me. Her writing style is a mix of Helen Garner and Sonya Hartnett.

[Pauline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent collection of short stories from Australia's best loved midwife. Nothing saccharine about these stories. Just beautifully condensed vignettes on love, race, war, cruelty, class, school, creeps. Loved Sharp Teeth the best.

[Jennie Diplock-Storer · Rating 2 out of 5]

A selection of short stories that were well written, but weirdly unfulfilling in nature. This was the author's first attempt at fiction, so perhaps the future offers improvement.

I just feel unsatisfied......