About the Book

A striking new collection of ten short stories and two novellas that explores the idea of property in every meaning of the word, from the acclaimed New York Times bestselling author of the National Book Award finalist So Much for That and the international bestseller We Need to Talk About Kevin.

Intermingling settings in America and Britain, Lionel Shriver’s first collection explores property in both senses of the word: real estate and stuff. These pieces illustrate how our possessions act as proxies for ourselves, and how tussles over ownership articulate the power dynamics of our relationships. In Lionel Shriver’s world, we may possess people and objects and places, but in turn they possess us.

Critical Praise

“Shriver... is a brilliant satirist and virtuosic writer....even if Property isn’t your dream house, it’s a diverting enough place to spend an afternoon or two.” — Associated Press

“The collection, which concentrates on middle-class Brits and Americans, is bookended by two richly detailed and sardonic novellas.... Shriver’s stories will make readers laugh when they feel they shouldn’t, and the uniting theme of houses and humans works exceedingly well, turning up new wrinkles with each successive story.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Two novellas and ten stories by the author of We Need to Talk About Kevin skewer the absurdities of materialism, wherein possessions substitute for meaning and power is exerted by, say, being 30 years old and refusing to leave your parents’ house.” — O Magazine, 10 Titles to Pick Up Now

“A collection of two novellas and 10 short stories from the author of the explosive “We Need to Talk About Kevin.” Set in Britain and the US, the stories explore the relationship between people, property and other “stuff.”” — New York Post, This Week’s Must-Read Books

“Award-winning Shriver’s enthusiastic audience will delight in her clever and literary analyses of the spaces we occupy, and how they’re all too often no broader than a knife’s edge.” — Booklist

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Product Details

• ISBN: 9780062697943
• ISBN 10: 0062697943
• Imprint: Harper Perennial
• On Sale: 04/23/2019
• Trimsize: 5.310 in (w) x 8.000 in (h) x 0.760 in (d)
• Pages: 336
• List Price: $16.99
• BISAC1 : FICTION / Literary
• BISAC2 : FICTION / Short Stories (single author)
• BISAC3 : FICTION / Family Life