This image is the cover for the book Agnes Owens

Agnes Owens

This “terrific collection” presents the beloved Scottish author’s complete short stories, plus 14 new tales of bracing honesty and mordant wit (The Times, UK).

A twice-married mother of seven, Agnes Owens had worked for years as a house cleaner, typist, and factory worker before being discovered in a small-town writing workshop. Her first story, “Arabella,” announced her great talent to her three instructors: Liz Lochhead, Alasdair Gray, and Jim Kelman. Many more stories followed, filling the now-classic volumes Gentlemen of the West, Lean Tales, and People Like That.

This collection presents the complete contents of those books, plus fourteen previously unpublished stories, presented under the collective title The Dark Side. Owens' talent for pithy, unsettling tales is as sharp as ever, confirming her place as one of Scotland's finest contemporary writers.

“Owens is a gentle writer with a slicing with . . . honest and unaffected.” —Sunday Times, UK

Agnes Owens, Liz Lochhead

Agnes Owens has been married twice and raised seven children, and has also worked as a cleaner, typist and factory worker. Her books include 'People Like That' and 'For the Love of Willie', which was shortlisted for the 1998 Stakis Prize. Her short stories have also appeared alongside those of her friends and fellow authors James Kelman and Alasdair Gray in 'Lean Tales'. 'Bad Attitudes', which consists of two novellas ('Bad Attitudes' and 'Jen's Party'), was longlisted for the 2003 Saltire Literary Awards.

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