A Cat, A Hat, and a Piece of String

By: Joanne Harris

Narrated by: Thomas Judd, Joanne Harris

‘Stories are like Russian dolls; open them up, and in each one you’ll find another story.’

Conjured from a wickedly imaginative pen, here is a new collection of short stories that showcases Joanne Harris’s exceptional storytelling art. Sensuous, wicked, mischievous, uproarious and wry, here are tales that combine the everyday with the unexpected; wild fantasy with bittersweet reality. From the house where it is Christmas all year round, to a ghost who lives on a Twitter timeline; from the Congo where a young girl braves the raging rapids to earn a crust of bread, to Norse gods battling for survival in Manhattan; and a new-born baby created with sugar, spice, and lashings of cake, these stories will ensnare and delight you with their variety and inventiveness.

©2012 Frogspawn Ltd (P)2012 Random House AudioGo

Friendship, shelter and a useful tool - - -

If you need a break from long novels, here are 16 great stories for when you just want to listen to something engaging, but short. The narration by Joanne Harris and Thomas Judd is an absolute pleasure. Very easy on the ears. Judd sounds a bit like Neil Gaiman.

Not all the stories are wonderful, but all are interesting, and make you think. Also they don't all wrap up at the end with satisfactory answers- kind of like real life. There is a netherworld feeling to some of them, and definitely some are actual ghost stories.

Some of my favorites were River Song, Would You Like to Reconnect?, Faith and Hope Fly South, and the story about Maggie who has an eating problem.

I've been disappointed with some short story offerings in the past- but I am happy to say that is not the case here. Well worth a credit.

Enjoy!!