The Mayne Press, 2009, ISBN 978-0-9806159-0-6

Melbourne based writer Paul Haines is a deservedly well-known and much-loved fixture of the speculative fiction scene. A graduate of the inaugural Clarion South writers workshop, he is a winner of numerous awards including the Aurealis and the Ditmar. Slice of Life is Haines’s second collection. His first, Doorways for the Dispossessed, was published in 2006 and won the New Zealand Sir Julius Vogel award for best collection. Slice of Life delivers more of what Haines is famous for – unflinching, shocking darkness, in all its mundanity and profanity. All proceeds from the sale of the book go towards helping Haines fight cancer – though, that worthy motivation aside, the collection is not to be missed, purely on its own merits.

Slice of Life contains seventeen short stories, including the Ditmar award winning novella The Devil in Mr Pussy (or How I Found God Inside My Wife). The titles of some of Haines’ stories - like Mr Pussy, or Going down with Jennifer Anniston’s Breasts - give a hint as to the black humour contained therein, and the stories do not fail to deliver. There are common themes to the works included in Slice of Life: deep, abiding anxiety, taboos, sex, violence, commentary on male and female gender roles (Haines himself describes it as misogyny, but I don’t believe it is – that description, like everything Haines does, seems very tongue in cheek), and lots of gritty, nasty, ewwww moments. There is also great subtlety and intelligence, both in Haines’ words and between the lines, where the reader cannot help but be driven to deep emotion and introspection. The strength of Haines’ work lies not only in his obvious talent and skill, but in the issues he grapples with and the way he presents them – a mirror to our most hideous selves that we can’t look away from. There’s a little Paul Haines in all of us. It’s how he got there that concerns me…

There are no weak stories in Slice of Life, and indeed, if there are any weak points within the stories they are tough to pinpoint. Every piece grabs readers by their throats, yanks them down into their own innards, and gets them plenty messy there. Haines’ lack of fear is inspiring, and his concise, no-nonsense writing style works very well. He also shows his enviable adaptability, switching among several very different voices and techniques over the course of various stories. It’s difficult to pick favourite stories – they all bring different gifts to bear – but I especially loved Mr Pussy, (It’s Not Like) The Good Old Days, Mnemophonic, and the three interconnected Slice of Life pieces.

One of my small quibbles was with a piece that had the capacity to be arguably one of the most powerful in the collection, but for the abrupt ending right where it seemed the climax should begin. That was This is the End, Harry, Good Night! – which, ending aside, I loved. It disturbed, offended, titillated, entertained and engrossed me, as a Haines piece is wont to do. I also struggled to “get” one or two of the pieces in the collection; however, that’s my failing, not the author’s.

Haines’ work is not for the faint hearted. Aficionados of all things quirky, intelligent, and dark will devour Slice of Life. It is horror, it is action, it is social commentary, it is savage fantasy and unrelenting realism, is it a psychological journey into a warped and familiar place. It is, truly, a slice of life.

Paul Haines can be found online at http://www.paulhaines.com/