Stone Mattress

I have finished Margaret Atwood's 'Stone Mattress,' Jane gave it to me for my birthday. I read the stories one at a time on the recline bike at the gym in lunchtimes when I was doing cardio. Reading a book in that style can take a while, but it is a good way of working through a short story collection.

It is good stuff. “The Freeze-Dried Groom” was my favourite tale, for all that there is more than a hint of the shaggy dog story about it, and I am far from clear exactly what happened in the end.

She sent me a voice message on WhatsApp at about twenty past seven one morning in May, laughing out loud at a story from it that she was listening to on Audible while she was driving to work. I wonder which one it was? I didn't find any of them funny, for all it is good writing. I must tell her there is talk of a film based on it.

Certainly I am happy enough to follow her next recommendation sight unseen. This month's Audible credit will go on The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese.