Galgut, Damon

London. 1988. Constable & Company. 1st British Edition. London Management Plate in Front, Otherwise Very Good in Dustjacket. 0094685002. 224 pages. hardcover. keywords: Literature South Africa . FROM THE PUBLISHER - Small circle of beings, the novella which gives its title to this collection, is a deeply disturbing and compelling work, the first to appear in print since Damon Galgut's novel A sinless season. On the surface it concerns a family living what would appear to be an idyllic life on a remote farm. When the couple's only child, David, falls ill tension and strain begin to take their toll, and the hairline cracks and fissures in his parents' relationship gradually widen and split open until a marriage which seemed solid and secure falls irretrievably apart. The story is narrated by the mother, who starts to see her life slipping out of her control and her strength being remorselessly sapped. With her husband gone and her son no longer utterly dependent on her, she turns to another man for the security she craves, and a new nightmare begins. Galgut's economy of style and his chilling gift for understatement and the macabre are nowhere more eloquently displayed than in this gripping story. The same sensitive and atmospheric writing can also be seen in the shorter stories in this collection. inventory #15017 ISBN: 0094685002.