
Red Stilettos
Ruth Joseph(Author)
Accent Press Ltd
Published on 1. August 2004
Book
Paperback/Softback
304 pages
978-0-9544899-7-7 (ISBN)
Description
This sensational collection of quality short stories is perfect for the mainstream fiction market. The writing style is deft and stylish but accessible on many levels making it attractive to those buying for book groups and readers who enjoy quality short fiction.
Ruth Joseph lives in Cardiff, Wales where she is part of the strong Jewish community. She has a strong, evovative voice which speaks directly to the reader about guilt, love and food. Her work has previously been published by Honno, Parthian and Loki.
Ruth Joseph lives in Cardiff, Wales where she is part of the strong Jewish community. She has a strong, evovative voice which speaks directly to the reader about guilt, love and food. Her work has previously been published by Honno, Parthian and Loki.
Reviews / Votes
This is an extraordinary collection of short stories written by the Welsh-Jewish author Ruth Joseph. Thoroughly thought-provoking it certainly is, an enjoyable read maybe not, but it is without doubt very readable. The first story, `Tapestry', tells us of a mother's anguish over the centuries-old Jewish tradition of the circumcision of her newly-born son - graphic, sometimes heart-rending, sometimes heart-warming.Throughout this collection there are remarkably illuminating passages. Joseph's use of language is both eloquent and productive. In 'Red Stilettos', the title story, she tells us in the first person of a sous-chef's `trial' coming new into the kitchen. The chef takes delight in provoking her: `Chef tastes my nervousness. Then sniffs the scent like a dog and plans his strategy.' Further in the story she writes: `He crept onto his knees and I watched his disgusting body crawl to the front door, over the beautiful Victorian tiles I had taken so long to restore.' Such is Joseph's descriptive prowess that we are there with her, stomach churning.
Joseph's choice of subject matter is no doubt influenced by the experiences of her youth. Her mother was anorexic and Joseph was her carer; life could not have been easy. In her penultimate story, `Patchwork', she gives a no-holds-barred insight into the depths of despair and depravity that affliction can bring to the sufferer. `The pieces of meat in the dog's bowl lie calling me. I take the bowl and force the greasy pieces of meat into my mouth.'
This is not a book for the faint-hearted, but to put it back on the shelf unread would not only be cowardly. In my opinion, you would have missed reading one of the decade's finest descriptive narratives.
Norma Penfold * A review from www.gwales.com, with the permission of the Welsh Books Council. *
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Headline Publishing Group
Product notice
Paperback (UK-B)
Dimensions
Height: 197 mm
Width: 126 mm
ISBN-13
978-0-9544899-7-7 (9780954489977)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Person
Ruth Joseph worked as a freelance journalist for IPC magazines and has just completed an M.Phil in Creative Writing at Glamorgan University. She is a Rhys Davies Competition and Cadenza prize-winner and has been published by Honno, Loki, New Welsh review and Cambrensis. Her prize-winning story, Patchwork is featured in 'Ghosts Of The Old Year' published by Parthian, 2003 (ISBN 1902638271). Her first solo collection of short stories, 'Red Stilettos' was published by Accent Press Ltd in Sept 2004. (ISBN 0954489977)
Ruth lives in Cardiff, Wales.
Ruth lives in Cardiff, Wales.