by Anne Enright
First published 2011
This anthology spans generations of Irish storytellers, from early masters like Mary Lavin and Frank O'Connor to contemporary voices such as Claire Keegan and Kevin Barry. Editor Anne Enright selects writers born in the twentieth century, creating a collection that moves through decades of social transformation in Ireland. The stories avoid romantic mythologies of Irish life, instead delivering sharp truths about ordinary people facing real circumstances. Contributors include Roddy Doyle, Elizabeth Bowen, Seán Ó Faoláin, Edna O'Brien, Colm Tóibín, and William Trevor. Each story demonstrates the continuing vitality of short fiction in Irish literature, with writers who craft precise, often cutting observations about human nature and Irish society.
Genres: short-stories, anthologies, irish-literature, 20th-century, 21st-century
Vibes: intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, short-stories
Setting: Ireland
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
442 pages · Hardcover · Granta Books