My Real Life

This prize-winning collection of short stories playfully questions what 'real life' is and, more importantly, where it can be found.Philip is a New Zealander, born and raised; the trouble is that no one will believe him. He travels widely, though his brother Dan has no intention of going anywhere - why leave when everything you hate is here? His ex-girlfriend, Kumiko, drifts between universities, enrolling in every course she can find in an effort to hold on to her student visa. Her father is searching for her, but like every other character in this collection, he has a problem and a story of his own . . .The characters in this funny and astute book of short stories span genders, generations and identities. Whether at home or abroad, they are often lost, wandering in and out of each other's lives, never quite coming together. Moving convincingly between differing perspectives, these stories are deftly handled, offering flashes of sharp insight and unexpected humour.This book won the New Zealand Society of Authors Hubert Church Best First Book of Fiction Award (2005).