Forgiveness

A collection of 25 stories by several generations of Irish writers, including Bryan MacMahon, Benedict Kiely, William Trevor, Val Mulkerns, Julia O'Faolain, Bernard MacLaverty, and Neil Jordan. The introduction provides a brief history of the short story in Ireland, from the beginning of the century to the present, in addition to an analysis of the current social climate. Judging from the mood of these stories, all is not well on the Emerald Isle in these times of deep change. From Edna O'Brien's title story to the abrupt violence in "Swans" and "The Hairdresser" and the loneliness of "The Strangest Feeling in Bernard's Bathroom" and "Skin", the atmosphere is gray and chilled. Story after story evokes isolation, estrangement, and melancholy, with characters longing for lost romance or the ability to pray or to respond to beauty. An anthology that offers the latest in a fine literary tradition and takes the pulse of an enigmatic land.