Moving On

A cool, unsettling story of grief and starting over – from the Guardian First Book Award long-listed collection Man V. Nature

After the death of her husband a woman is relocated by the Placement Team to a prisonlike shelter for widows and the unwanted. There she is offered only one option: to prepare for her next husband. “Moving On” is the bold and brilliant opening story from Diane Cook’s critically acclaimed, award-winning debut collection Man v. Nature.

Praise for Man V. Nature

‘A knockout ... every single story could make a great movie.’ Miranda July, author of The First Bad Man

‘Man V. Nature could also be called Diane Cook V. The Challenges of Writing Fresh, Invigorating Fiction in Our Age. In the latter contest, Cook crushes. Here is a bold debut.’ Sam Lipsyte, author of Home Land



‘Astonishing ... the stories are surreal, with the sharpest edge and in one way or another, each story reveals something raw and powerful about being human in a world where so little is in our control.’ Roxane Gay, author of Bad Feminist


Genre: Literary Fiction

"Diane Cook's stories are like high-wattage bulbs strung across a sinister, dark land." - Ramona Ausubel