Name: Compendium of Games and Shames
Brand: Austin Macauley Publishers
SKU: 9781037110344
Price: 8.99 GBP
Availability: InStock
Rating: 5 (7 reviews)
Author: Michael M Smith

Fairness, equality, friendship, attraction, lust, the dashed and the downhearted.

Step forward the heroes, the courageous, the adventurous, the amorous. But don’t forget the downtrodden, the destitute and the desperate.

This book, Compendium of Games and Shames, offers a collection of fictional short stories that cover a broad range of scenarios. Each storyline places focus on the key words of ‘games’ and ‘shames’, and the myriad of meanings and contexts in which they can apply, offering the reader their own sense of connections they may take from them.

Raw emotion, intimacy, intrigue and the human touch are central to these short tales. The book looks to bring interrelationships, successes, celebrations and indeed tragedies to the fore, depicting how they impact on the lives of the main characters within, for better or for worse.

How will our key protagonists fare? And what does the future hold for them and their nearest and dearest? Read on.

Michael M Smith has been a teacher and principal teacher for thirty years, specialising in teaching young people with additional support needs. He enjoys reading a broad range of fiction and non-fiction material.

Now having the space to be creative with his own writing, his debut book is a compendium of short stories.

Michael’s life and work experiences have fuelled ideas for his writing. He is an avid hillwalker and the great outdoors inspire him in his quest. As do his hobbies of cooking, listening to music, spending time with family and friends, and visiting places of interest in other parts of the world.

Customer Reviews

5.0

7 reviews

Jocksabroad.

Great read from a new author.
Lyndsay

A fantastic, must read book. The author has used skilled writing techniques to ensure each story is emotive and thought provoking. I especially enjoyed the vivid descriptions of various locations around Scotland. A beautifully written book that I would highly recommend.
GRAEME BRUCE

As soon as I finished this debut novel from Michael M. Smith, I found myself eagerly hoping there would be a follow up soon - it really was that good! In an increasingly crowded market, originality is at something of a premium these days, so to discover a book that was both genuinely original AND thoroughly entertaining was such a lovely surprise. I particularly enjoyed the colourful, vivid descriptions of a veritable cornucopia of intriguing locations throughout Scotland. At times I felt like I were reading a 3-D book, such were the way said locations sprung to life! Each story is frequently moving, witty, droll, and above all, consistently entertaining. It challenges you to question your life decisions as well as being rollicking good fun - not a bad combination! I'd love to say more but I don't want to give too much away, other than to say that you may be surprised to find many aspects of yourself contained within its pages! Put simply....buy this book!
Denise

A really enjoyable collection of short stories — funny, clever, and easy to get into. Each story had its own charm and kept me interested throughout. Great read if you want something entertaining and light but still well-written. Would definitely recommend!
William Smith

Superb debut book by Michael M Smith. A thought provoking format of inviting you to examine your own experiences and emotions set against various scenarios in a collection of short stories. Looking forward to being entertained and challenged in the next offering from this new author.
Kirsten

This was a fun and well-crafted collection of short stories. The writing was clever and accessible, and every story brought something unique. A great choice for a light but satisfying read—I’d definitely recommend it.
Lyndsay

A really fantastic collection of short stories. The author has used skilled writing techniques to ensure each story is emotive and thought provoking. I particularly enjoyed the vivid descriptions of various parts of Scotland. A beautifully written novel that I would highly recommend.