Listen to the Voice

These eighteen short stories by the Scottish poet and author of Consider the Lilies "focus on the ambiguities of the inner voice . . . with moments of searing emotion" ( Independent on Sunday, UK). This collection of the best of Iain Crichton Smith's short fiction beckons us to listen, not only to the voice of this impeccable author, but to the many voices, both public and private, that he conjures in his characters. Ranging from inner promptings towards self-discovery to the unconscious comedy of everyday speech and even the rantings of near madness, these stories display the peaks of Smith's wry, surrealistic humor, and his confessional mode in examining the past. The longer stories, illustrative of Smith's novels, are represented by 'Murdo' and the seminal 'The Black and the Red'. There are also outstanding short pieces such as 'Listen to the Voice' and the poignant vignette, 'The Dying'. This edition of Listen to the Voice includes an introduction by Douglas Gifford. "He has a dry pungent humor, a gift for comic invention and a welcome ability to laugh at himself and his background while making a serious point and taking us to conclusions that are anything but obvious." — The Scotsman, UK