Written in a confident, simple, straightforward language, and with an unsentimental view of things, these nine stories are all examples of clarity, and of careful, engaging construction. They are traditional in style and subject matter, examining as they do many facets of human relationships. The 'small forest' of the collection's title provides an eloquent metaphor that invites the reader to move through the stories in search of revelation and understanding, as well as pleasure in the reading.- CARMEL BIRD