Small Crimes in an Age of Abundance by Matthew Kneale

Small Crimes in an Age of Abundance

Matthew Kneale

Short stories in which (mostly) ordinary people from all over the world, do (mostly) unlawful things, not always with the result that they or the reader expects. Some readers may have a 'there but for the grace of God go I' experience.

Extract
... little by little a gulf opened up between the Winters and everyone else. The reason was plain enough: their plans to travel independently after the tour. Guy was aware that he and his family talked about these a good deal, and sometimes he even found himself using phrases borrowed from Sarah Spence, about how this was the only way to see a country properly and make friends with the people. And why not? They were not showing off but simply voicing the excitement they felt. He became increasingly annoyed by the small-mindedness of the others: their weary looks and sarcastic replies.
Parallels
  • A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters by Julian Barnes
  • The Periodic Table by Primo Levi