A collection of short stories for adults by Clare Azzopardi, entitled Il-Linja l-Hadra, will be launched by Merlin Library at St James Cavalier on Thursday, 6 July at 8pm.

The book’s cover has been designed by well-known artist Pierre Portelli. The evening will include readings by Marcelle Teuma and Joseph Galea, and a short comment by Dr Adrian Grima. The general public is welcome.

English translations of some of the stories in the collection have been published in Cyprus, Scotland, Ireland and Malta. The story Il-Linja l-Hadra was read by Marcelle Teuma at the International Short Story Festival organised by the National Council of the Maltese Language in December 2005.

In his critical introduction to the book, Dr Grima says that: “Azzopardi’s narrative strategy is unique, despite the ostensive familiarity of the subject matter.” The author’s “ability to tell such unpredictable stories serves to further draw the reader’s attention to every word, every turn of events, and every snatch of dialogue that she elicits from the normal people, living at the turn of the 21st Century. Despite their meticulous organisation, these stories are far from stylised or excessively literary – quite the contrary.”

Azzopardi’s translator Albert Gatt says: “Azzopardi’s narratives would be more accurately characterised as small sketches from the lives of individuals... the refusal to tell it straight is a crucial aspect of Azzopardi’s

fiction.”

The author Immanuel Mifsud had the following comment to make about Il-Linja l-Hadra: “Readers about to tackle this book should be prepared. In these stories, the familiar begins to seem strange, and the strange becomes familiar. Clare Azzopardi will lead you to places where you shouldn’t dare to pry.”

According to Dr Mary Darmanin: “Under Azzopardi’s courageous face, all the layers beneath which we like to conceal ourselves begin to peel away. While everyone likes to present a normal exterior, every person becomes unique and unreplicable in Azzopardi’s stories.”

Azzopardi has also published numerous works related to education, such as Prosit (2000), Skaluni (2001), Stilel (Merlin, 2003-2006) and Senduq Kuluri/Buffuri (Merlin, 2005-2006), Einstein u Peppina Favlina (Education Department, 2005). Her poetry and short stories have been collected in anthologies such as Illejla Ismaghni Ftit (2001), Gzejjer (Inizjamed, 2000), F’Kull Belt Hemm Kantuniera (Inizjamed, 2003) and Ktieb ghall-Hruq (Inizjamed, 2004).