'...the joy of reading Maggie Gee.' – The Observer The people in The Blue, Maggie Gee's first collection of short stories, try and often fail to understand the world, freeing themselves by small acts of courage, love or folly. A journalist decides to convert an evangelist in mid-air; a solicitor gives up his day job to help young artists; a Middle Eastern woman shocks her children as she walks through the heat towards the sea; a man, in a moment of madness, cuts down his neighbour's tree. These subtle fables of everyday life are set against an intricate global backdrop where life is harder for outsiders. Exquisitely written and aerated by comedy, they show human beings who struggle to live good lives. 'Her writing is clear as glass and has marvellous rhythm, fluency and grace.'— The Observer 'Impressive, captivating and highly recommended.'— Scotland on Sunday 'Maggie Gee is a superb and pitiless analyser of middle-class angst.'— The Times 'Maggie Gee is one of our most ambitious and challenging novelists.' — Sunday Times 'Original and courageous.' — Doris Lessing 'United by Gee's ability to delineate personalities and adopt voices with small but accurate touches. ... Light sketches, filled with colour.' — Times Literary Supplement 'Deceptive stylistic simplicity and plain dialogue, complicated emotions are revealed in The Blue ... Each story casts an individual spell.' —Mslexia Magazine