Richard Bardsley

Search for a word or phrase in this book …

Biographical note:  Richard Bardsley was born in Sale, Manchester in 1975. After graduating in Film Studies from Sheffield Hallam University, he moved to London and worked as a freelance video editor. Body Parts: The Anatomy of Love is his first collection of short stories.

BIC Basic

EAN13:  9781844714322
ISBN:  9781844714322
Author:  Richard Bardsley
Title:  Body Parts
Series:  Salt Modern Fiction
Product class:  BB
Language:  eng
Audience:  General/trade
BIC subject category:  FNB
Publisher:  Salt Publishing
Pub date:  01-Feb-08
Extent:  208pp
Height:  216 mm
Width:  140 mm
Thickness:  20 mm
Weight:  312 gms
Supplier:   Gardners Books
Supplier:   Ingram Book Group
Supplier:   Inbooks (James Bennett)
Availability:  IP
Price:  GBP 14.99
Price:  USD 26.95
Rights:  World

Main description:  Human anatomy and affairs of the heart take on a whole new dimension in this book. Body Parts: The Anatomy of Love is a collection of stories, each one dedicated to a part of the human body and all on the theme of love. From head to feet via freckles and fingers, every part of the body is explored through stories that are dark, humorous, inspiring and surprising. By the end of Richard Bardsley's unforgettable, at times disturbing and never predictable journey, we have explored love in all of its aspects: from attraction and forlorn singleton, to wayward fornication, and the human body will never be seen in quite the same light again.

Table of contents:
Contents
Acknowledgements
Prologue
The Whole Being
‘I Love Everything About You’
Part One
The Head
‘Hair’
‘Forehead’
‘Eyebrows’
‘Eyes’
‘Nose’
‘Lips’
‘Teeth’
‘Tongue’
‘Chin’
‘Cheeks’
‘Ears’
Interregnum
‘Veins’
Part Two
The Upper Torso
‘Neck’
‘Shoulders’
‘Back’
‘Armpits’
‘Arms’
‘Elbows’
‘Fingers’
‘Breasts’
‘Belly’
‘Waist & Hips’
Interregnum
‘Tattoo’
Part Three
The Lower Torso
‘Bottom’
‘Genitalia’
‘Lap’
‘Legs’
‘Knees’
‘Feet’
Interregnum
‘Freckles’
Epilogue
The Whole Being
‘I Love Everything About You’

View excerpt as PDF:

Click here to view a sample (113 KB)

Excerpt from book:  

’Shoulders’

Of late, Darren Gibb has become increasingly concerned that his long-term girlfriend is growing somewhat apathetic towards his company. Whilst he is hoping it is just a phase, an unfortunate stale period which all couples must overcome after a certain time together, he has nonetheless decided that it is finally time to ascertain her core feelings towards him.

Whilst at work, Darren Googles the words communication relationship rut and proceeds to click through the archives of a chirpy and vulgarized couple’s therapy website. After several minutes research, he determines that the best way to tackle the issue is by means of a cunning series of intensifying questions — ones apparently used by psychologists in evaluative automatic response dialogues to uncover a patient’s true nature.
Later that night the pair find themselves in their customary positions. Both are slouched on the sofa in front of a forty-two inch plasma screen and not a word has been exchanged for nearly an hour.

‘Do you want a cup of tea?’ asks Darren.
‘Whatever,’ replies Fionnuala.
‘Some biccies?’
‘Not bothered.’
‘You think we should get a new sofa? This one’s getting a bit lumpy yeah?’
‘Dunno.’
Darren clicks his tongue, pondering his next inquiry as he realises the order of his questions may well have gone wrong already.
‘I got this shirt today. D’you like it?’
‘Mmm.’
‘How about getting married sometime?’

Even though Darren’s voice quivers like a broken theremin during this final question, Fionnuala fails to even answer her boyfriend this time. Instead, she just shrugs her shoulders and emits a vibrant and meaty burp, a reminder of the microwavable chilli con carne — their favourite ready meal — that had been consumed a few hours prior. Darren loses his rag and changes the channel. He hates watching her stupid makeover programmes and the football was waiting for him on the other side.

Immediately — and severely — he was party to a thump on the arm.

‘Oi numbnuts, what the fucking hell do you think you’re doing? I was watching that you inconsiderate bugger. Turn it back. Now,’ rasps Fionnuala.

Darren shakes his head puckers his lips, a silent and stern indication of his resolute veto on the matter, which necessitates Fionnuala’s lunge for the remote control. Darren quickly turns away over the side of the sofa, holding onto it with a will akin to that of a dying man clutching a map as he lies freezing in the vast nothing of the tundra, but Fionnuala is not about to give up and their struggle soon develops into a full blown brawl on the floor. Kicks, punches and body slams hammer down on Darren’s inadequate foetal defence.

Darren then realises he is no longer in possession of the handset, but still the pummelling continues. He ponders that there was no way he could have envisaged his line of questioning would end with such a disproportionate and painful response, which he feels is for the most part uncalled for. Despite this injustice, something wells in a corner of his big, forgiving and mistaken heart, a gratitude that he cannot ignore. His dear Fi, the woman he hopes will forever love him, has finally found reason to lavish her attention on something he’s done.

‘She still notices me,’ thinks Darren, as the face of the iron bears down towards his head.