If you're looking for stories that feel both intimately close to real life and offer a sharp commentary on being a woman in a modern world, "Getting a Life" might just capture you. Helen Simpson has a knack for transforming the everyday into something layered and profound. These stories might tickle your funny bone while simultaneously jolting your heart. The vivid settings around London and the relatable yet unique female experiences create a tapestry that's hard to forget.

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• Hawthornden Prize (2001)

Hilarious, dark, and thoroughly entertaining, Getting a Life proves Helen Simpson to be one of the finest observers of women on the edge. Set in and around contemporary London, these nine stories explore both the blisses and irritations of domestic life.An ambitious teenager vows never to settle for any of the adult lives she sees around her. Two old friends get tipsy at a small cafe and end up revealing more than they intended. In a boutique so exclusive that entrance requires a password, a frazzled careerwoman explores the anesthetizing effect of highly impractical clothing. And in the mesmerizing title story, a mother of three takes life one day at a time, while pushing the ominous question of whether she wants to firmly to one side.

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