Born Losers

Born Losers, published in 1965, and Barbara Skelton's second book, is a collection of short stories. 'Miss Skelton's twelve stories are sharp and stark and have an almost maniacal lucidity. Her Born Losers are mostly orphans of Manhattan ... Miss Skelton takes one from the purple darkness of Harlem to Mexico City, to the London Zoo and the Cote d'Azur, on a wild schizophrenic slide. She describes the meaningless sex battle with zest and accuracy. Her humour is alarming but never malicious. Here are twelve quite shocking little stories, cute as mad midgets, about Gloomsville. Nutty, as they say, as a fruit cake ... Her book cannot be recommended to the frail and fearful.' John Davenport, Observer