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‘Desperate people travel lightly’

I recently read Shorts by Tessie Regan. If i’m honest, I was browsing Netgalley looking for a ‘filler’ read. Something to keep me occupied for a day or two before shiny new books arrived to be reviewed. I saw the introduction for Shorts and it caught my eye enough to download.

Tessie Regan’s collection of short stories, poems and quirky illustrations reveal the world as seen through the haze of alcohol addiction, the eccentricity of Asperger’s and the ups and downs of an unconventional spiritual journey.

I wanted to learn more about the lives of people with Asperger’s and it’s rare to come across any books which are from the sufferers point of view, instead of the families and loved ones. The pace of the book is definitely in Tessies unique voice. Quick, blunt, sometimes distracting and wickedly funny at times. As I read the sentences I could feel the pace quicken, the anxiousness rise and I followed her sometimes scattered thoughts willingly and with great interest.

‘Last year (or maybe it happened ten years ago and I don’t know things). Satan needed a new way for people to waste whole chunks of their day, so he invented Pinterest.’

I do not have Asperger’s, I don’t know anyone who has it, but I do have the same thoughts, struggles and wonders about God, spirituality and religion. It is these chapters, stories and thoughts I found most interesting. I lie awake at 4am sometimes wondering what the hell I am doing with life and if there is any real purpose. I also call on my God in times of anxiety, heartbreak and confusion, but even then, i’m not sure what i’m asking or to whom.

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This book is far more than a ‘filler’ and ended up being a great read which hit a nerve at times and had me laughing at others, the ridiculous happens to all of us, whether we are Asperger’s, Alcoholic, or just trying getting through the day.

3 out of 5 stars