Don't Have Much Time for Reading? Short Stories!

This Cake Is for the Party  by Sarah Selecky is a collection of ten short stories set in Canada.  The stories have some aspect of food in them, either characters prepping or sharing a meal. Despite their short story status, the main characters are sketched deftly, and you have a birds eye view into their thoughts and world. Marital, familial, and friendship bonds are introduced, strained, and tested. 

If you are looking for the short story, This Cake Is For The Party, you will not find it in this collection, which is an interesting choice made by the author. I'm not a big fan of short stories, but this collection spoke to me. My one complaint is that the last story was quite heavy to end the collection. This is perfect for a literary fix during lunch or if you do not have much time for reading. 

This collection was a finalist for the Scotiabank Giller prize, which is Canada's most distinguished literary prize for a Canadian novel or short story collection published in English. It was established in 1994 by Toronto businessman Jack Rabinovich in honor of his late wife, Doris Giller.  It was also a finalist for the Commonwealth Prize for Best First Book in Canada and the Caribbean. 


This is a recommended read for any book club. A reader's guide complete with discussion questions is provided.

Click the title or cover above to request. 

Review by Cara