‘And it’s not a secret,’ said the man, ‘that where you come from the food is barbaric.’A bit later she says just cook what’s there: ‘What’s the matter with you? It’s only food.’…He responds: ‘Only food.’ No French person would ever say “It’s only food.”’He remains in a paroxysm of indecision. ‘Where I come from, we just eat what’s there.’ The Frenchman is in crisis because you cannot eat fish with greens (apparently). But there is little food in the house, only fish and Brussel sprouts. I told her this is a story of a young woman, who is probably Australian, but could be American or English, we never learn, who lives with a Frenchman, and it emerges, a couple of other people who share the house, and who will return for dinner. I laughed out loud and my wife made that noise which means please explain what was so funny. When I read them a couple of years ago these stories had a dated feel, but Melissa’s article softened my attitude, so I went back to the source. Melissa’s regular childhood holidays in Surfers informed her critique celebrating the 30th anniversary of the publication of Postcards From Surfers in 1985. There is also a gap between when I read the stories and drafting this review, which I acknowledge is a bad habit.Ī thoughtful piece by Melissa Fagan in Meanjin helped refresh my memory about Garner's stories. When we read something is also important – is the story freshly published with lots of hype or have we come across it much later– which is the case for me here. Time is an interesting parameter when an author flashes back or sets the action in another time. 'Helen Garner writes the best sentences in Australia.' 'Garner has always had a mimic's ear for dialogue and an eye for unconscious symbolism, the clothes and gestures with which we give ourselves away.' 'She is outstanding in the accuracy of her observations, the intensity of passion.her radar-sure humour.' There is not a paragraph, let alone a page, where she does not compel your attention.'

'Helen Garner is an extraordinarily good writer.

In 2006 she won the Melbourne Prize for Literature. Her most recent books are The First Stone, True Stories, My Hard Heart, The Feel of Stone and Joe Cinque's Consolation. She is also one of Australia's most respected non-fiction writers, and received a Walkley Award for journalism in 1993. She has published many works of fiction including Monkey Grip, Cosmo Cosmolino and The Children's Bach. Helen Garner was born in Geelong in 1942.

Monkey Grip by Helen Garner