The Penguin Book of Irish Fiction

xxxiv, 1085 pp. "An extraordinary and diverse compilation of Ireland's greatest writers from "the best Irish writer of his generation" (The Irish Independent) The Penguin Book of Irish Fiction represents the entire tradition of Irish fiction in English from Jonathan Swift, born in 1667, to Emma Donoghue, born in 1968. It includes the full text of certain key masterpieces such as Gulliver in Lilliput, Maria Edgeworth's "Castle Rackrent," Joyce's "The Dead," Beckett's "First Love," and John McGahern's "The Country Funeral" and work by almost one hundred writers. It represents, for the first time in one volume, the entire canon of Irish writing and is likely to become the essential book for anyone interested in Irish literature. "In Irish fiction there are no happy families; there is no novel which ends in a wedding. Instead, the tone is melancholy and the theme is brokenness; the stories and novels (and, indeed, the plays and poems) are full of angry fathers, divided families and an overwhelming sense of loss. Some writers such as Swift, or Sterne, or Joyce, or Beckett sought to replace Ireland with a country all of their own making. Others--such as Bram Stoker or Sheridan Le Fanu--reveled in darkness and chaos and fear. Others, such as OscarWilde and Elizabeth Bowen, tried to get away."--from the Introduction" Castle Rackrent / Maria Edgeworth -- Wildgoose Lodge / William Carleton -- The hungry death / Rosa Mulholland -- Home sickness / George Moore -- Nightfall / Daniel Corkery -- A glass of beer / James Stephens -- The dead / James Joyce -- The hawk / Liam O'Flaherty -- Her table spread / Elizabeth Bowen -- A dead cert / Sean O'Faolain -- On the empty shore / Seosamh Mac Grianna -- Guests of the nation / Frank O'Connor -- First love / Samuel Beckett -- Company / Samuel Beckett -- Floodtide / Mairtin O Cadhain -- Exile's return / Bryan MacMahon -- The martyr's crown / Flann O'Brien -- Happiness / Mary Lavin -- The morning after the big fire / Maeve Brennan -- Homes on the mountain / Benedict Kiely -- The eagles and the trumpets / James Plunkett -- Memory and desire / Val Mulkerns -- Kathleen's field / William Trevor -- The hairdresser / Leland Bardwell -- Foundry House / Brian Friel -- Music at Annahullion / Eugene McCabe -- A Belfast woman / Mary Beckett -- Left of the door / Tom Mac Intyre -- Will You please go now / Julia O'Faolain -- The country funeral / John McGahern -- Life drawing / Bernard Mac Laverty -- Such good friends / Ita Daly -- Topping / Shane Connaughton -- Night in Tunisia / Neil Jordan -- Memories of swinging London -- Desmond Hogan -- A country dance / Mary Dorcey -- Nazi Christmas / Hugo Hamilton -- In the dark / Aidan Mathews -- The cantilever principle / Mary Morrissy -- (She owns) every thing / Anne Enright -- Slade / Frank Ronan -- Breakfast for Enrique / Colum McCann -- Going back / Emma Donoghue. Keywords: COLM TOIBIN PENGUIN BOOK OF IRISH FICTION LITERATURE