Smart Ovens for Lonely People

by Elizabeth Tan

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33	1	734,583	(4)	1
In the titular story, a cat-shaped oven tells a depressed woman she doesn't have to be sorry anymore. A Yourtopia Bespoke Terraria employee becomes paranoid about the mounting coincidences in her life. Four girls gather to celebrate their underwear in 'Happy Smiling Underwear Girls Party', a hilarious take-down of saccharine advertisements. With her trademark wit and slicing social commentary, Elizabeth Tan's short stories are as funny as they are insightful. This collection cements her role as one of Australia's most inventive writers.… (more)

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I absolutely adored this collection. Not just because many of the stories feature my home town, and so are more real in some ways than stories set in one of the many ubiquitous north american cities. The stories manage to be clever, enjoyable, and all so very different.

These are not all cheerful stories. Tan walks a fine line between realistic representations--of mental illness, racism, misogyny, homelessness--and overwhelming the reader. (

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fred_mouse | May 9, 2021 |

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Margaret and Colin Roderick Literary Award (Longlist – 2021)

Queensland Literary Awards (Finalist – Short Story Collection – 2021)

The Readings Prize (Shortlist – New Australian Fiction – 2020)

Stella Prize (Longlist – 2021)

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In the titular story, a cat-shaped oven tells a depressed woman she doesn't have to be sorry anymore. A Yourtopia Bespoke Terraria employee becomes paranoid about the mounting coincidences in her life. Four girls gather to celebrate their underwear in 'Happy Smiling Underwear Girls Party', a hilarious take-down of saccharine advertisements. With her trademark wit and slicing social commentary, Elizabeth Tan's short stories are as funny as they are insightful. This collection cements her role as one of Australia's most inventive writers.

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