The Body of the Thing

A lyrical and visceral short story collection, The Body of the Thing unpicks the hierarchies that thrum under our relationships, from first loves and lusts to motherhood and miscarriages, from sexual awakenings to final confrontations with death. Moving from bougie neighbourhoods in Manhattan to the sun-drenched piazzas of Italy, from the coastal Maine to the bustle of London, these stories chase the fallout when women’s bodies are valued for their beauty and youth, dismissed and discarded when ill, or made useful as parents and caregivers. Fluid, sensual, and fearless, The Body of the Thing puts the screws to the wellness industry, explores body dysmorphia and eating disorders, and celebrates female desire in all its complicated wonder. Unmissable.