Stories from the Warm Zone

The Australian author's short-story collection maintains the high standards set by her novels Tirra Lirra by the River and The Only Daughter. In two sections, the entries begin with Anderson's only slightly fictionalized adventures as a child called Bea, growing up in Brisbane's rough country three decades ago. Occasions fresh in her memory prompt Anderson's recollections of the home where older siblings loved and cared for Bea but also ordered her about. The second section contains original stories inspired by the author's experiences as an adult resident in Sydney. A keen observer of human beings, Anderson infuses her characters with life and, in an admirably understated style, arouses the reader's deep concern for them. ""The Late Sunlight'' puts Gordon Harbage on a park bench beside a bitter, hate-filled Viennese countess who rejects her son because of his marriage to a ``common'' woman. Gordon is drawn into an uneasy situation when the countess tries to give him a costly gift before she dies, resulting in a startling scene. All the stories are unforgettable. (November 17)