Greater City
Shadows
‘A beautiful collection of stories showcasing the small but magnificent ways people can find connection, set amongst one of the most isolated cities in the world.’
Judges’ Comments, 2022 Dorothy Hewett Award for an Unpublished Manuscript
Greater City Shadows
A man treads water in the Swan River, hoping to bring his friend back to shore. Three siblings gaze skyward in the hope of finding a comet. Bushfires sweep a Perth suburb while a woman, still burnt from a previous relationship, lessens the divide between an individual and their community.
In tender, evocative prose, Greater City Shadows showcases the small but magnificent ways people find connection in Australia, one of the most isolated countries in the world. Exploring family, friendship, and identity in our post-pandemic culture, this collection teases out the new reality in which we’ve found ourselves, leading us back towards faith, love, and resilience. These are hopeful, redemptive, and at times, profoundly uplifting stories about what it means to be human and to belong in an unpredictable, ever-changing society.
‘You returned to Barrack Street with your city resurrected. The old bookstore had long gone, so you took the laneway till its end, sprayed ‘Beth x 5’ on the wall. Years later, you came back. A crowd had gathered, filling that same laneway. No longer only Beth; now hundreds of names, up and down the wall. You made your way through the crowd, kissed the paint as though it were her blemished cheek, and said, ‘I love you.’
PRAISE FOR GREATER CITY SHADOWS
‘Think Nick Hornby at his best, yes; but also masters of the short story form such as Alice Munro.’
Will Yeoman, Writing WA
FULL REVIEW
‘The short story is the form where he truly excels. I am fully prepared for Steed’s words to rip me apart.’
The AU Review
FULL REVIEW
‘Steed’s skill is undeniable, and the collection is a worthy achievement...a hopeful, smart collection.’
Arts Hub
FULL REVIEW
‘Tender and heart-rending, this collection will appeal to readers who enjoyed Wayne Marshall’s Shirl.’
Books+Publishing
FULL REVIEW
‘Laurie Steed has crafted short stories which are as poignant and emotionally moving as they are insightful.’
Queensland Reviewers Collective
FULL REVIEW
‘Each story conveys a deeply humane reverence for the aching ordinariness of human life and love. The stories range in tone from gentle to powerful, always maintaining a breathtaking vulnerability.’
Cheryl Akle, The Australian
FULL REVIEW
‘A beautiful collection of stories showcasing the small but magnificent ways people can find connection. The prose is dynamic and playful, and these imperfect characters are missed each time you move on to a new tale.’
Judges’ Comments, 2022 Dorothy Hewett Award for an Unpublished Manuscript
'Evocative and engaging, Greater City Shadows shows how the short story form, in the hands of a skilful writer, can offer profound insights into people's inner and outer lives.'
Susan Midalia
'Timely, tender and true, Greater City Shadows is a superb collection of stories.'
Ryan O'Neill
’What a generous, smart collection…Steed’s stories are funny, surprising, and full of heart.’
Laura Elvery
‘Moments that make you pause and think…make you feel, moments you can relate to, I see a little of this writer’s soul in every short story and I like it.’
Carol Seeley, Reading, Writing and Riesling