Author of
short stories; born to
Welsh and
Chinese parents in
England, and currently teaches at the
University of Michigan. Won the
John Llewellyn Rhys prize for
The Ugliest House in the World, his first collection, in 1998. Followed with
Equal Love in 2000; both published by
Mariner Books (
Houghton Mifflin) in the United States. He has also had short stories appear in various journals and magazines such as
The Atlantic Monthly,
Ploughshares, and
The Paris Review
Because of his diverse background, Davies effortlessly moves back and forth between stories set in Wales, China, South Africa, and even Kuala Lumpur. Not ha-ha funny, but funny occasionally nonetheless. Most of his stories, I suppose, are about social standing and how his characters are perceived by others. Davies' "Relief" appeared in the 1998 Prize Stories: The O. Henry Awards; it is about a young British lieutenant during the Anglo-Zulu War who commits what appears to be a major breach of etiquette. It's an absolutely amazing story, and a good entry point for someone interested in Davies' work.