This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things

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Winner of the 2023 BBC National Short Story Award

WINNER OF THE BBC NATIONAL SHORT STORY AWARD

'Terrifically exciting . . . It's a beautiful, electrifying thing to witness - a writer so hilariously and so reasonably voicing the unspeakable'

Sarah Hall

'I laughed and winced at these witty, shrewd stories . . . Hats off to Naomi Wood'

Reeta Chakrabarti

'Every story is glorious - full of dark mischief, so funny and unexpected and original. Brilliant'

Emma Healey

In my life, I had always been a good woman; controlling what it was that I wanted. But recently, I had started to notice my bad energy, and I began to follow it, wondering where it would take me . . .

A woman has an unexpected outburst at a corporate therapy session for working mothers. A couple find some long-overdue time to rekindle their relationship and make an ill-advised home movie. A pregnant film director plots revenge on the actress who betrayed her. An ex-wife deliberately causes conflict at her ex-husband's wedding.

This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things illuminates the lives of malicious, subversive and untamed women. Exploring failed sisterhood, dubious parenting and the dark side of modern love, this powerful and funny collection exposes how society wants women to behave, and shows what happens when they refuse.