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Stealing Smokes: Some Surprising Short Stories
A delightful collection of short stories designed to engage and entertain. Extraordinary tales about ordinary people told with empathy, whimsy, magic and imagination. You will be led up blind alleys and along familiar paths and more often than not the destination will be completely unexpected. Told with cheeky irreverence and an antipodean tone of voice, these stories, while pure fiction, will often be so close to your own truths they are bound to resonate. And in the tradition of writers like O. Henry and Dahl, Hanlon takes great delight in putting a twist in every tale. Prepare to enjoy yourself. About the Author John Hanlon is a Eurasian who was raised variously in New Zealand, Malaya, Singapore and Australia. In the early 1970s he accidentally became a New Zealand pop star. A few hit songs and a significant number of awards followed before he chose to seek a quieter life. He then spent three decades as a Creative Director in Australia, before returning to live in New Zealand to explore less certain creative pursuits like writing fiction.
- GenresShort StoriesFiction
354 pages, Paperback
First published July 25, 2016
About the author
John Hanlon
3 books1 followerJohn Hanlon is a Eurasian who was raised variously in New Zealand, Malaya, Singapore and Australia. In the early 1970s he accidentally became a New Zealand pop star. A few hit songs and a significant number of awards followed before he chose to seek a quieter life. He then spent three decades as a Creative Director in Australia, before returning to live in New Zealand to explore less certain creative pursuits like writing fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 7, 2020
What a fun adventure it was to read this book of short stories! I've shied away from reading many short story anthologies in the past, but I've become more interested in them as I've gotten older. A good short story can leave you immensely satisfied when you don't have a lot of time, or when you're not in the mood to delve deeply into a novel.
Stealing Smokes: Some Surprising Short Stories is an apt title for this book, as almost every story ended with some sort of surprise. There were stories ending with a touch of the magical and mystical, some ending in heartbreak, some ending in shock and some in laughter. All of them dealt with the human condition, and sometimes I recognized myself (not always positively) in a character. I read each story with anticipation, knowing that something at the end would jar me in one way or another.
Thanks to NetGalley and Digital Strategies Limited/IBPA/Members' Titles for an ARC in exchange for my review.
4 stars
Stealing Smokes: Some Surprising Short Stories is an apt title for this book, as almost every story ended with some sort of surprise. There were stories ending with a touch of the magical and mystical, some ending in heartbreak, some ending in shock and some in laughter. All of them dealt with the human condition, and sometimes I recognized myself (not always positively) in a character. I read each story with anticipation, knowing that something at the end would jar me in one way or another.
Thanks to NetGalley and Digital Strategies Limited/IBPA/Members' Titles for an ARC in exchange for my review.
4 stars
March 12, 2018
This book is a partner or follow-up to Hanlon's short story collection called 'Love and Magic'to which I gave five stars. This book maintains the remarkably high standard of readability set by its predecessor. New Zealand short-story fiction at its absolute best. Another five stars.
February 28, 2020
the first thing that attracted me to this book was definitely the cover, a car very recognisible from my youth. So initially with the title and the cover, I thought it was going to be an autobiographical work, reminiiscing about a misspent youth or suchlike . Then I read the blurb, realise it is a series of short stories by a guy in New Zealand. I think I'll give it a go, even though I live on the other side of the world to this gentleman, and may not hold too much common ground.
It isn't often that I come across such an entertaining book, I would have guessed it was slightly autobiographical, John even refers to certain characters being actual people. I did find too that the author portrayed quite clearly a lot of flaws that show in people's characters as we travel through life.
A few little interesting stories, some rather surreal, drawing a little from that kind of angels looking down upon us, Mitch Albanesque type vibe going on. Though very entertaining all the same.
Mr. Hanlon seems to have a finger on a pulse that many of us can associate with, especially some of us in the more mature bracket. He also seems to have a sense of humour that tuned in with me. I laughed out loud many times reading it.
Well done John, you have a quality in writing that seems more and more at a lack these days, and that is to be a writer who can communicate with the reader. Too many writers these days are stuck in their own self-indulgence and importance, that they rapidly forget that it is a readership they are writing for. 10/10 for effort in that area.
So from across the seas, I give it five stars from all of us here in the old country. Of course, John, if you ever find yourself in Dublin, give us a shout and we'll talk books over a pint of the black stuff! All the best, and well done!
Read this and other reviews by myself at- https://wordpress.com/view/booksandmo...
It isn't often that I come across such an entertaining book, I would have guessed it was slightly autobiographical, John even refers to certain characters being actual people. I did find too that the author portrayed quite clearly a lot of flaws that show in people's characters as we travel through life.
A few little interesting stories, some rather surreal, drawing a little from that kind of angels looking down upon us, Mitch Albanesque type vibe going on. Though very entertaining all the same.
Mr. Hanlon seems to have a finger on a pulse that many of us can associate with, especially some of us in the more mature bracket. He also seems to have a sense of humour that tuned in with me. I laughed out loud many times reading it.
Well done John, you have a quality in writing that seems more and more at a lack these days, and that is to be a writer who can communicate with the reader. Too many writers these days are stuck in their own self-indulgence and importance, that they rapidly forget that it is a readership they are writing for. 10/10 for effort in that area.
So from across the seas, I give it five stars from all of us here in the old country. Of course, John, if you ever find yourself in Dublin, give us a shout and we'll talk books over a pint of the black stuff! All the best, and well done!
Read this and other reviews by myself at- https://wordpress.com/view/booksandmo...
April 3, 2020
Review to follow
April 19, 2020
The first stories were so good and moving that I was prepared to declare this one of my favorite collections of short stories. The rest did not deliver.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews