A theme seems to have emerged this year: how we relate to each other and others, and what it tells us about, well, us. Could connection be a sign of our times? Relationships between people and with the natural world, the unknown and the imaginative, are bonds explored in this anthology.

What's the link between astronauts circling the moon and the yearning for a child? How do you react when another species reaches out to humans to state their case? When a prize is won, do friendships suffer? Can living online be a good substitute for aloneness? Does a security officer hold the key to overcoming cultural barriers?

Satire, parables, urban legends, philosophical ruminations, dark tales and true. From everyday stories to those not so familiar, these yarns capture our strengths and weaknesses, joys and sadnesses - our lives as we live them, and imagine them.

There might even be a furphy or two ...