Births, Deaths and Marriages Carmel Bird 1983

Dustjacket synopsis:
"These twelve stories explore the passions which lie beneath the surafce of respectability.

"The jealousy which exists between two sisters poisons both their lives...

"A boy, terrified of a nun, grows up to preach the oration at her funeral...

"In the apple orchard, a father falls in love with his daughter...

"An old French sea-captain finds his mermaid...

"Alexander wants to kill his ex-wife...

Contents:
"Daisy and Lizzie"
"Boy and Girl"
"James"
"Bye Baby Bunting"
"Ladies in the Snow"
"The Balloon Lady"
"Brother Gregory"
"Still Life"
"Rose of Sharon"
"Love Potion Number Nine"
"Mother of the Bride"
"Learn to Swim"

First Paragraph from the First Story:

Daisy Fitzgerald was sixty when her sister died in the mental home. So Daisy had the house all to herself at last. She had waited for years while her brothers and sisters gradually died off, leaving her with sole rights to the property.

It was dark old place. Brown plush curtains hung in the hall, deepening the gloom. Although there were huge mirrors above the marble fireplaces, these were covered with dust, and presented a lifeless reflection of rooms crowded with heavy furniture, cluttered with ornaments and photographs.

At last, at last Daisy was certain in her heart that the place was all hers, that nobody could take it away from her. Because there was nobody left. Bernard was dead, and Kevin was dead, and Dolly and Maggie, and now mad Lizzie was dead.

From the self-published paperback edition, 1983.

This page and its contents are copyright © 2005 by Perry Middlemiss, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Last modified: January 29, 2005.