Joanne Harris — A Cat, a Hat, and a Piece of String

Doubleday 2012 Paperback, 284pp. A second short story collection from Joanne Harris, author of Chocolat and Peaches for Monsieur le Cure.   'Stories are like Russian dolls; open them up, and in each one you'll find another story.'   Conjured from a wickedly imaginative pen, here is a new collection of short stories that showcases Joanne Harris's exceptional storytelling art. Sensuous, wicked, mischievous, uproarious and wry, here are tales that combine the everyday with the unexpected; wild fantasy with bittersweet reality.   From the house where it is Christmas all year round, to a ghost who lives on a Twitter timeline; from the Congo where a young girl braves the raging rapids to earn a crust of bread, to Norse gods battling for survival in Manhattan; and a newborn baby created with sugar, spice and lashings of cake, these stories will ensnare and delight you with their variety and inventiveness. Price sticker still on cover. (ISBN: 9780857521200). Good.